


Outbound

by SonjaJade



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Blood and Injury, Gen, Hiding, Maes Hughes Lives, Smuggling, Surgery, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 12:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12748149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonjaJade/pseuds/SonjaJade
Summary: Someone wants Maes Hughes dead. What the killer doesn't count on is an assassin with bad aim and a coroner who knows how to bring the dead back to life. Follow this dead man walking as he leaves everything he loves behind- to protect his country, his friends, and his dearest family.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2017 round of the Fullmetal Alchemist Big Bang Festival on Tumblr (#FMABB17)
> 
> Beta'd by Bay, Sammyquill, cornerofmadness, and Snowfall.  
> Illustrations by Zaronieanimation  
> Cover art and letters by Sonja Jade

 

Generally speaking, Central City- despite the plague of ‘undesirables’ on the east side of town- was a very safe place to live. Most areas never saw a break-in of any kind or violent confrontations, and shootings were very rare, at least in any area apart from the slums in the eastern part of the city. Central’s residents were safer than most in regards to general crime, so when Dr. Owen Knox received a call at home late on a Thursday night about a shooting victim right in the heart of Central, he was immediately thinking about how the victim came into such a predicament.

He told the man on the phone he would meet them at the medical examiner’s office in ten minutes, then hung up and rang his assistant Max to tell him to come in, too. He already decided a crime this rare deserved an autopsy report on par with any of the state officials, should they ever wind up on his slab. After slurping down the rest of his coffee, he left his home on foot.

The police arrived with a white body bag, tinted pink at the bottom and light blue everywhere else.  Owen frowned.

“Military?” he asked.

“Yep,” the officer replied, watching as an ambulance crew hefted the deceased up onto a gurney Max wheeled out for them. He immediately took the body inside as Owen signed various papers to ensure he had custody of the soldier the police unit had delivered to him. “Found him in a phone booth slumped over. It’s a bad belly wound.”

“Damn. Well,” he handed the clipboard back to the officer, “I better get to it. Have a good night, Frank.”

“You too, Dr. Knox. We’ll have to catch up over a beer sometime!” the officer said with a wave as he returned to his vehicle and the ambulance crew loaded into theirs. They both left together, heading toward police headquarters and Owen took one final drag off his cigarette before going inside to begin the examination.

But before he could make it there, Max was running down the hallway, his arms pumping. He skidded to a halt and panted, “Shallow breathing!”

Now they both hurried down to the autopsy room, the sound of their shoes slapping the tiled floors as they ran to where their newest case lay.

Max snatched up a compact mirror, held it under the man’s nose and fog covered a sliver of the glass in fast pulses.

“Should I call the hospital?” Max asked, clearly panicked.

“No time,” Owen gasped. “Get some suction going, I’ve got to find the bleeder.” On the heels of that thought- “Where are his belongings? His blood type will be on his military ID.” He snapped gloves into place, quickly donned a gown and got to work. It had been years since he’d worked on a living person. Just before he began irrigating and suctioning the wound, he remembered to administer at least a little morphine into a vein (some of his private stock, no less). 

It didn’t take him long to find the culprit, thankfully. The bullet had grazed the thoracic artery, just enough to cause a dangerous amount of blood to be lost. Owen sutured the opening tightly with the thinnest thread he had on hand. Then he tended to the wounds in the stomach and the liver, thankful that stomach acid was present in the entire abdomen and had disinfected the exposed tissues. 

Once he was sure he’d gotten all the bleeding stopped and the wounds all closed, he sent Max to steal no less than four pints of blood from the cooler they shared with the blood bank next door. He came back with five glass bottles of it in a cart, along with a bottle of sodium chloride and some antibiotics to mix with the saline drip.

“I didn’t know what else to grab,” Max apologized.

“You did great, don’t worry about it. It’s not like this place is set up to care for the living.” Owen put the pic line in himself, watching with relief as his pale patient began to regain some of his color and his breathing became deeper. “Watch his breathing, I’ll get his pressures.”

His pulse had come up from zero to sixty-two, his blood pressure was still a little low, but steadily improving with the impromptu blood transfusions. Hours later, Owen clapped Max on the shoulder, praising him.

“This man wouldn’t be alive without your little routine of checking for breath. You did great tonight.”

Max wouldn’t have any of his praise though. “You did all the work, Dr. Knox. I wouldn’t have known the first place to begin- you’re the real hero.”

He frowned down at the young man on his table. “Wonder what made him a target…”

“Should I call the police? Or maybe the MPs?

Owen shook his head. “No. We’ll keep him here a little longer.” He announced he was going out for a smoke break and would be back momentarily. As he gazed up at the late night sky, he wondered what he’d gotten himself into.

* * *

“Get me another blanket Max, I think he’s starting to come around.”

There were several bright lights glaring from above, and Maes blinked against their incessant brightness.  He could hear two men whispering and lots of what sounded like small metal objects rattling on another metal surface nearby… 

_“You humans throw away your lives for nothing.”_

__

His eyes opened wide as his memories came flooding back. He struggled to sit up and immediately the two men he’d heard speaking were on him, urging him quietly to lie back.

“I’ve got to go!” Maes croaked.

“Sit still or you’ll pop the stitches!” the older man hissed, his lowered voice coated in nicotine and old coffee. “And for shit’s sake, be quiet! You’re supposed to be dead!”

Something about the way he said it- Maes believed him. He remembered blood, so much blood, pouring and seeping out, and the foggy association with a warmth akin to wetting his pants. He _should_ be dead…  Why wasn’t he?

“Here, put his glasses on him so he can see,” the other voice murmured. The frames were slid into place and Maes recognized the old man leaning over him.

“Dr. Knox, I gotta get a hold of Col. Mustang, it’s an emergency!” He did his best to keep his voice down, to listen to the doctor’s instructions.

“Hughes, I don’t know who wanted you dead, but you’re still on death’s doorstep. You’re lucky we share a cooler with the blood bank and that they had enough of your type. You need to rest-”

“I don’t have time!”

Knox’s calloused hand clamped down over his mouth and his eyes glowed with anger. “You’re gonna be a dead man if you don’t wait. We’re gonna get you out of here but you have to lie still and shut up!” He begged for Maes to at least let him and Max smuggle him out of the morgue before he got up off the gurney to run to Mustang.

He nodded and the hand was taken away. Knox’s assistant taped the IV down securely to the crook of his arm, checked his vital signs and gave him a shot of some kind of pain killer in the other arm. Maes’ head swam with the intensity of it as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

“It’ll make you sleepy- it’s alright to rest. You’re in good hands with us,” he said with a kind smile.

But Max didn’t understand. The person who’d shot him could change his face into any person he wished. Maes tried to tell him so, but all that came out was “Shape… shifter…”

Knox looked over at him, then at Max and nodded. A few moments later, Maes was asleep, unaware of anything as his body recovered from his miraculous life-saving surgery.

* * *

“He’s out,” Max said softly over Dr. Knox’s shoulder.

“Good. Damn idiot almost got too loud.” He pulled a clean body bag from a closet. He helped wrangle Hughes into it, then checked his pic line before disconnecting the sodium chloride drip from him. “Leave a six inch gap on that zipper. I’ll go get the meat wagon.”

“Want me to call Col. Mustang?” Max asked.

Owen shook his head as he grabbed the keys to the morgue’s ambulance. “No, call Madame Christmas.  See if she’ll meet us out at my cabin in Irmo. Something’s not right here and I have a feeling if anyone knows what’s going on, she will.”

While Max was busy calling the Mad Madame, Owen strolled through the building toward the attached garage, whistling as he passed the night watchman.

“Headed out, Dr. Knox?” the chipper man asked, a magazine in his hand.

He grumbled as he shook a cigarette out and lit up. “Yeah, long night. Max and I are gonna borrow the meat wagon and go get a drink.”

The guard laughed, cautioning him not to do any drag racing on the strip and to bring the vehicle back with at least half a tank of gas. Owen waved goodbye and tried not to run to the morgue’s ambulance. He drove up to the gurney entrance to meet Max at the door when an idea struck him.

“Let’s put him on a spinal board. If we put him on a gurney, he’ll sit up too high and you’ll be able to tell there’s a body in the back. If we put the gurney inside and slide him in on the spinal board, he’ll sit down low and no one will know he’s in there.”

Quickly, they tied the body bag down to the board. Owen went back out to the car and removed the empty gurney, then he helped Max slide the spinal board and all into place. Finally, they pulled out of the morgue parking lot and made their way to the rendezvous point.

“So,” Max commented as they sped along the dark city streets, “why aren’t we taking him to a hospital?”

“Because of his line of work,” Owen replied. “Hughes is in investigations, and that shot was intended to kill him. He knows something,” he said as he made a right-hand turn at a light. “Whatever it is he knows, it’s something big. We take him to a hospital, he might still wind up dead. _We_ might wind up dead. Best thing to do now is get him out of town.”

Max seemed to understand now. He looked worried as he ran his hand through his shaggy black hair. “So that’s why we’re meeting Madame Christmas.”

“You got it. That woman can make anyone disappear without a trace. If we called Mustang, he’d likely just get himself into trouble. Better see if that trouble is worth getting into first.”

The streetlights became fewer and fewer as they rode on into the night, the urban buildings losing height and spreading out the further away from Central they went. Eventually, the three of them were traveling a two-lane highway seemingly in the middle of nowhere, going on to a remote wooden cabin in the woods.

Before the Ishvalan conflict, Owen and his father used the place as a hunting lodge. In the summer, they’d hunt deer and fish all day long. Now it was more of a place to have a drink away from the city. Tonight, it was going to be a make-shift hospital and hideout. He was surprised to find a car already there when he and Max arrived with their patient.

The door opened and two women exited into the dewy night air. One was a real looker- wavy dark blonde hair, red lips, beautifully made up eyes and a dress with a slit that wouldn’t quit. The other was as wide as the cabin itself, about as stocky, the glowing cherry of her cigarette distracting from any makeup she may have had on.

“I was just about to go to bed, Owen,” she chided in her rough voice. “I hope you’re not wasting my time out here in the sticks.”

“Never, Madame!” he said as Max went to the back of the ambulance to check on Maes. “You know I wouldn’t ask you to come all the way out here if it wasn’t serious.”

“What’s in the wagon?” she asked, pointing with her chin.

He gestured for her to follow him, and he and both ladies joined Max at the back of the vehicle. He pulled a flashlight from a toolbox. In the light, Maes’ face could be seen, surrounded by the dark black of the body bag.

“I know that boy,” she murmured gravely. “Why’d you bring me all the way out here to meet a dead man?”

“He’s not dead, but whoever shot him wanted him to be. I thought maybe you’d know who was behind it and why.”

She reached out with her bejeweled hand and gently cupped the man’s cheek. “I don’t have the faintest idea. But I’ll do my best to figure it out. He did a huge favor for me once; I owe it to him to find out who tried to kill him.”

Max said they should get him inside and settled before the night air got to him. 

“Madeline, help them get inside,” Madame said as she moved out of the way.

Owen handed the younger woman the keys to the front door and asked her to hold it open for them. Carefully, they carried Hughes into a back bedroom, then unloaded him out of the body bag and into the bed. Just as Madeline was covering him up and Max was hooking the saline solution back up to his arm, Maes started to wake up.

“Shh,” Madame said as she sat down on an old crate next to him. “You’re safe here, Maes.”

Owen watched as the soldier’s eyes welled up. The first words out of his mouth were, “Madame, make sure my wife and my little girl are safe!  Please!”

The old woman nodded. “They’ll be under my watch, you have my word.”

“I need to talk to Roy, I made a break in a case we’re working- and no one is safe, you can’t trust anyone!”

Madame tried to calm him down again, one hand holding his as the other brushed his hair out of his eyes. “I believe you. But you’re not well enough to go raging around town just yet. You gotta big hole in your belly that’s just been stitched up. You need to rest and take it easy for just a little while.”

“I don’t know if there’s time for that! You don’t understand- it’s right under us!”

“What’s right under us?”

“A giant transmutation circle!”

The room went silent. Finally, Owen spoke. “A giant transmutation circle? Under Amestris?”

Maes pushed his glasses up and wiped at his eyes. “Under us, around us- it’s not complete yet, but it almost is. I think it might have been why the Freezing Alchemist went crazy in Central City a few months back. I think he knew about it too, and he was trying to stop it.” He tried to sit up and Max gently pushed him back down.

“Madame, the person who shot me can change their face whenever they want. He made himself look like one of my subordinates, but he forgot the mole on her face and that’s how I knew it wasn’t her- but the rest looked _just like her_ , and he sounded just like her, too! And then… then he changed into my wife!”

He started crying and Madame scooted closer to him. “Shh, sweetheart. What happened after he turned into Gracia?”

Maes took a moment to gather himself, taking a deep breath and shaking his head. “I was trying to call Roy, but those goddamn clearance codes were taking forever. I was going to try and cut the shape-shifter with one of my knives, but I was too slow. He shot me… then hung up the phone. There was so much blood…”

Off to the side, Madeline had pulled a pen and notepad from her purse and was writing as fast as her fingers could fly. “Did you ever get to see this person without their disguise on?” she asked.

Hughes laid in the bed, looking up at the ceiling as if trying to remember the details of the shooter. “He was on the short side, maybe a few inches shorter than Roy. Very slim, had on a strange outfit that was skimpy and black. He didn’t have shoes on, just these weird socks with no toes or heels in them. Black hair, in a weird cut. It was long, but it was sort of spiky, but not sticking up- almost like a house plant. Pitch black eyes…”

“Any scars or tattoos? Piercings?”

He said there was a small red dragon on the outside left leg, in the shape of a circle. Then he sat up with a start. “There was another one! A woman! She was in the office when I figured out the map!”

“If you pop a stitch and bleed out, you will die!” Owen roared in his face. “We’re too far away to get more blood! Now stay down!” He and Max forced him to lie back, Owen going on to tell him he was going to have to tie him down if he didn’t stop. 

Madame managed to calm everyone down, then asked Maes to start at the beginning, to tell them all exactly what happened from the time he was first wounded to the point he was shot and left for dead. Once they were all caught up on the particulars, Owen watched as Madame Christmas comforted Maes and assured him she would do whatever she could to make sure the information Roy needed got to him safely.

“You realize we’re faking your death at this point, right?” she asked.

Maes sighed. “I guess it can’t be avoided.”

“Not if you want to keep your family safe, no.” She gave him a tender smile, as if she’d known him all his life. “I can’t come right out and tell Roy everything, but I’ll make sure he somehow discovers the information on his own so he can safely use it.”

“Try not to wait too long, Madame,” Maes whimpered. “I don’t know what that transmutation circle will do, but it can’t be good, not with it being as big as it is.”

She nodded and got to her feet. She kissed his forehead. “You stay lying back and get better. I’ll be back to see you again real soon, alright?” Madeline promised they’d take the information he’d given them and do some sleuthing of their own, and Max hit him with another dose of morphine.

Owen, Madame Christmas and Madeline went into the sitting room, not speaking so much as trying to wrap their heads around the strange events Maes had told them about.

“I’m telling you right now, Knox,” Madame cautioned, “what we’re doing might be the very death of all of us. If this transmutation circle is as dangerous as he’s making us believe, whoever is making the circle will go to any lengths to keep it a secret.”

“Don’t remind me. Even if they don’t pay me any attention, I could lose everything if it gets out that I smuggled a live person outta my morgue. We’re talking prison, Chris.”

“And I’m talking about living in general, Owen.” She crossed her arms in thought. “I almost don’t know if I should tell Roy… If he gets too close…”

“So, what do we do?” Madeline asked. “We can’t just ignore it and pretend it’s not there.”

Silence reigned in the room as Max joined them, informing them Maes was asleep again.

Owen suggested, “Let’s not say anything to anyone for a bit. Let’s see if we can pinpoint who’s behind this before we go stirring the shit pot.”

Madame agreed. “What we’ve learned tonight stays in this cabin and goes no further than the five of us here. If you find out something important, come by the bar under the ruse of a romp upstairs, and if we come across something, we’ll call up like we’ve got the wrong number, and you still come by the bar.”

Owen and Max agreed to keep the information a sworn secret, and Madame offered to post Madeline with Maes for the night.

“How soon do you think he can get out of bed?” Madame asked.

“That was a major wound, Chris. If those stitches in that artery pop, he’ll die of internal bleeding.  I’d leave him in bed for a week, at the very least.  Two’s better, but he’ll live if we give him at least one.”

“Let me know the minute he’s well enough to move. We need to get him out of the country, the sooner the better.” She was almost to the car when she turned around. “Do you need a replacement body?”

Max’s jaw dropped. Owen lit a cigarette and replied, “That would be most helpful.”

“Give me a twenty minute head start and I’ll have one for you at the bar.”

With that, Madame Christmas climbed behind the wheel, started the engine and took off for Central, her tail lights streaking off into the dark as the men watched.

“Man,” Max said with a huff, “I really could use a drink.”

He nodded. “Let’s check the liquor cabinet, I’m sure I’ve got something in there to wet our whistles.” They went back into the cabin, scrounged up enough food to get Madeline and Maes through until the next day, found the percolator and some coffee, and found an unopened bottle of brandy to have a nightcap with.

Twenty minutes later, they were back on the road, bound for Central City and their replacement body.


	2. Chapter 2

The scent of something cooking woke Maes the next morning. It smelled like toast and coffee, but there was something else he couldn’t quite pin down- something _meaty_.

He could hear two women talking in another room. _“Must be Madame and her girl,”_ he thought to himself. He rolled his head toward the window, the sun’s rays struggling to get through the heavy curtains there. He saw his glasses and reached for them, and once they were in place he found a hand bell. Ah, Dr. Knox must not have wanted him straining his chest by taking such a big breath to call out for someone. He picked the bell up and rang it quietly to test the tone of it, and the voices in the other room stopped, the sound replaced with two sets of heels coming his way. The door opened and Madeline came to his side, smiling at him.

“Mornin’ handsome. How’re you feelin’?”

He groaned pitifully. “Feels like I got blown in half. How about you?”

She shook her head. “It ain’t about me, honey.” She peeked under the blanket at his bandages. “Think you could drink some water for me?”

He nodded and Madame drew up an honest to goodness chair this time to sit beside him. “Really, Maes- how are you?”

“Hurting bad, but I’m alive.” He sighed. “I miss my family. I don’t want them thinking I’m dead.”

“It’s not safe to tell them anything,” she warned him. “Not safe for me to even tell Roy what’s up. We have to give all this time to die down first.” She stepped out for a moment while Madeline helped him to carefully sit up a little to drink some water. The cool wet drink felt and tasted like heaven in his mouth and he moaned appreciatively before swallowing. When Madeline took the glass away, he noticed the IV was gone from his arm. 

“Did Knox come by?” he asked her.

“Max did,” she answered, opening the drawer on the nightstand. Her manicured fingers opened a bottle of pills and shook two out, then opened another and shook out one. “A painkiller and an antibiotic.  We gotta get you well enough to get you outta here.”

He didn’t question it. He knew the moment the phrase ‘faked death’ was uttered, he’d have to listen to Madame if he wanted to insure his family’s safety. He took the pills obediently, then Madeline eased him back into the pillows.

“You’re on a clear liquid diet for a few days. I’ll bring you some broth in a few minutes.” She pulled his blankets back up to his chest before going to the kitchen. Just as she left, Madame Christmas returned with a paper bag.

“How long’s it been since you had your hair done, Maes?” she asked as she sat the bag on the night stand.

His gaze went upward toward the paneled ceiling. “I don’t know, maybe a few weeks? Gracia said it’s getting a little shaggy.”

Nodding sagely, she removed her coat and laid it in a wingback chair, then dug in the bag until she came up with a shaving razor and a small jar of cream. “We have to make you look like anyone other than Maes Hughes, because as of right now, he’s considered dead.”

“Shave and a haircut-” he said, grinning as he knocked on the wall behind him, “two bits?”

“Honey, you’re gonna be platinum blond and half bald by the time I get done with you, and I’m so sorry- but it has to be done.” She showed him a bleaching kit. “If you look like an old man, the train ushers won’t think to look twice when you sit down like a person in pain.”

He nodded gingerly. Then he felt a familiar pressure in his guts and he felt his face flush with embarrassment.

“Uh, not to sound demanding, but where’s the bedpan?”

Madame snorted through her nose, chuckling as she sat the bleaching kit’s directions aside. “Didn’t bring one, you’re gonna have to go to the can like everyone else!”

Just getting to the bathroom was an excruciating journey. Managing to take a shit wasn’t much better. But Maes reminded himself that he should count his blessings that he was still alive to even have a bowel movement, and thankful that his digestive tract was still moving in the right direction after being partially blown to pieces. Once he was safely back in bed with a mug of chicken broth, he was grateful for the warm nourishment- and looking forward to having to wait a few days until another run to the shitter.

Madame shaved his face while he rested after his plain breakfast. Madeline was taking a much-deserved nap in the second bedroom after watching him through the night. In between the razor scrapes, Maes asked what the plan was going to be.

“First, we get you well enough to travel and get your disguise in place. I’ve got one of my retired girls coming to get you and take you to stay with her family in Table City.”

Just over the Cretan border… “Why so far away?”

“Because you’re a dead man, and Irmo is too close for a dead man to be,” she answered matter-of-factly as she rinsed the razor. “With it being in Creta, anyone looking for you is going to have to go through the Amestrian border guards. It might not stop them completely, but it sure won’t make it easy for them. Eileen’s husband is a doctor, so you’ll finish recovering under his care. After that, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Maes’ heart sank. He was going to be leaving his wife and daughter behind, in a place that wasn’t safe anymore… And what about Roy? He was much closer to what was happening under Central than even his own family. “So, I get to run away, huh?”

“For now. But we’ll still be in frequent contact, you and me. I haven’t forgotten what you did for my boy in Ishval… I’ll take care of you and your girls.”

He closed his eyes as tears began to cut paths through the shaving cream on his cheeks. “Thank you, Chris.”

* * *

Over the next few days, Madeline worked on his hair and Dr. Knox and Max rode out to check on him every night. His nearly mortal wound was healing well, despite the less than favorable locale he was holed up at. Madeline kept clean bandages on him and nourishing liquids in him, and they’d moved on to soft foods by the time he was healed enough to leave.

Madame came the night before their departure to bring him a change of clothes. They watched silently as Madeline folded his uniform and placed it in between that night’s fire. The smell of burning hair was the only indicator that the flames were consuming it. Maes had to turn his head.

He felt Madame’s soft hand on his. “You were buried yesterday. Roy’s been a complete wreck since the news.”

He was quiet for a bit. The thought of his best friend hurting so badly made his insides ache. “I’m sorry I have to put him through this.”

“There is some good news, though. It seems your daughter is too young to really grasp the situation and hasn’t been affected as badly as Gracia. There’s a good chance when this is all over, you’ll return to find her in good shape, mentally.”

Maes smiled despite the tears welling in his eyes. “My brave little girl. I hope this is all over soon, I can’t wait to see them again.”

Madame nodded, getting to her feet. “Get some rest, Maes. You’ve got an early start in the morning. Madeline’s gonna go with you out to Table City, and Eileen will meet you both at the train station. They’ve got little ones too, so I think you’ll enjoy yourself quite a bit. I’ll give ya a ring in a couple days.”

Maes stood up carefully and wrapped his arms around the old woman. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’re doing for me, Madame. Please, tell Roy what’s going on if you can, as soon as you can. Something huge is going to happen, and if he can stop it-”

“As soon as it’s _safe_ ,” she cautioned. “You know how headstrong that boy is. He moves too quickly or too obviously? He might end up worse than you did.”

Maes nodded. He knew the danger involved in the information they had. That said, he didn’t want to wait _too_ long, either. “I trust your judgement.”

They stepped apart from one another and she reached into her coat. “Knox managed to convince Investigations to give him some of the things in your desk drawer as part of his exam. This was the only thing he could make disappear for you to keep.”

She handed him a single photograph of Gracia and Elycia, both of them laughing as mother pushed daughter on a swing at a playground. Maes’ fingers trembled as he took the photo in his hands. Madame rubbed at his shoulder, murmuring to hang on, that they would find a way to bring him home soon.

“You’ll need to get to the station in Irmo by seven, so don’t stay up too late.”

“I won’t,” he said, his voice watery.

“We’ll talk soon. Travel safe.” Then she was gone.

Madeline helped him back into bed, smiled when he showed her the picture and told her all about the day it was taken. He could recount all the details, from how many ants crawled onto Elycia’s sucker when she dropped it to how her little girl shrieks filled him with joy from the tips of his toes to the top of his head.

“I can’t wait to go home again,” he whispered as she slipped his glasses off of him and turned the oil lamp down. Her lips kissed his forehead and she patted his arm.

“I can’t wait either, Mr. Hughes. We’ll get you there as quick as we can.”

It didn’t take him long to fall asleep, and in the morning before he and Madeline left, she checked the hearth to be sure nothing of note was left behind in the ashes. His uniform was gone right along with his identity. It was time to leave and watch from the shadows for a bit, and hopefully he’d be back sooner rather than later with his wife and daughter.

* * *

Maes left the cabin in Irmo wearing an old sweater vest, complete with an argyle pattern in greens and golds, a crisp shirt in a beige color, tan colored slacks and soft, comfy loafers. His hair had been bleached to ultra-platinum blonde the night before (to prevent his jet-black roots from showing), and a bald spot had been meticulously scraped into his scalp, from ear to ear and all the way back to his crown. And as for the super white spot left from having no sunlight on that area of his body before, Madeline had made sure to put just enough makeup on him to conceal the change in skin tone from forehead to balding patch. Maes had begged for an old man hat instead, but Madame had insisted this would be better, as a hat could blow away, but there was no mistaking baldness for old age.

Central’s train station was busy and bustling as always. Travelers from all over were coming and going, some running to their loved ones, some running to board on time. As for Maes, he was hobbling with a cane, and not pretending much about the amount of pain he was in. 

Madeline had his free arm looped in hers, asking again if she shouldn’t snag one of the luggage carts to push him to the platform.

Maes growled. “If I wasn’t incapacitated, I could carry you, that suitcase, _and_ Madame to the train!”

Thankfully, Madeline knew better than to find any real ire in his tone. “Of course, Gramps. Do you need to rest a bit? We’re almost there and we’ve got plenty of time.”

Maes thought that sounded great, and she led them to a bench not far from where they would be boarding. He asked if he could have an extra aspirin and she checked the time and hummed thoughtfully.

“Let’s wait ‘til we get on the train. I want to make sure you eat a little something before I give you more medicine, okay?”

Maes sighed. “Alright.”

She squeezed his shoulder. “I’m so proud of you. You’re doing a great job.”

“I wish this was over already,” he groaned as he leaned back and gently held his bandaged stomach. “Not looking forward to riding on this train for the next five hours.”

Madeline nodded, reminding him she had a return trip to make after getting him settled and that he should count his blessings. “Do you want an ice cream? Might make you feel a little better,” she suggested, catching sight of a smartly dressed vendor roaming the perimeter of the station.

His stomach gurgled at the thought, and it was a soft food… “Sure, strawberry if he has it, vanilla if he doesn’t.”

Madeline left right away to catch him before he got too far away, and Maes took a moment to look around the terminal. There were plenty of soldiers milling around, most of them near the military entrance by the incoming trains. There were some closer to him, by the outgoing tracks, and he noticed the black bands around their right arms.

Those black bands were for him, for his memory. The thought of a cemetery full of soldiers in dress blues and ceremonial black sashes watching as a coffin with a different person inside was lowered into the ground made him sad. He was upset that someone had to take his place in his own grave, that his family had to participate in a fake funeral, but cry very real tears. And all these men and women who were honoring him with their black bands for the week following his burial had been lied to…

Madeline interrupted his thoughts by offering him a paper cup with two scoops of ice cream in it and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. “Looks like you got a posthumous promotion to Brigadier General. Maybe you should fake your death more often.”

He looked down at the dish in his hands and didn’t feel hungry anymore. “Let’s just get on the train.”

“No way!” she responded. “We’re gonna eat ice cream so you can take your medicine and _then_ we’ll get on the train!” She leaned over and whispered harshly, “This cost me almost seven hundred cenz. Eat it or you’re going to wear it.”

Frowning, he jammed the wooden spoon into the frozen treat and took a bite.  Madeline cooed that he was a good Gramps and would get his pain medicine very soon, and then he could sleep on the train ride to Aunt Eileen’s. Though he didn’t much want to eat it, it was indeed very tasty, and by the time he was finished, he was glad that Madeline’s gruff insistence had helped break his sour mood.

The speakers overhead played a cheerful little tune before an announcer spoke. “Track four bound for Kefraum, Umeyego, Wellesley, and Table City is ready to board. Please have your tickets ready before boarding the train. Departure is in fifteen minutes.”

Madeline wiped her mouth and reapplied her lipstick as Maes finished off his ice cream. She took his garbage and tossed everything away, then helped him gingerly to his feet.

“Please make sure you take a leak before you sit down,” she said quietly. “Don’t want you getting up once we get seated, okay?”

He winced as he stood, then took a deep breath and steadied himself. He agreed to her terms and together they made their way slowly to the right platform, the coachmen being so kind as to put down a ramp for him so he wouldn’t have to climb any steps. They thought nothing of him, assuming he was just a crippled old man. So far, his disguise had been holding out just perfectly. A quick stop at the lavatory and he was all set.

Madeline sat a big fluffy cushion on the hard, wooden bench seat, then settled his cane and all next to her. She pulled a water canteen from her purse and shook out two aspirin. “Here. Try to sleep. I’ll be right here the whole time and I’ve got my pistol.”

He nodded and got as comfortable as he could, crossing his arms and closing his eyes just as the train began to move. 

No sooner had they cleared the berth, the car shook as it transitioned from one track to another, and Maes felt as if he’d been slapped inside. His hands pressed gently against his belly. “That fucking hurt…” he groaned.

Madeline frowned. “I told Madame this was going to be too rough. Shoulda rigged you up a hammock in here, that way you’d swing instead of get jerked around.” She whipped her coat off and folded it up like a pillow to put between him and the side of the passenger car. “Maybe that’ll help absorb some of the shock.”

The next bump in the track proved to be stronger than her impromptu bumper, and Maes thought for a moment he might just have to stand the whole trip.  He got to his feet wondering if that would be better.

“I’ll be right back,” Madeline said as she stormed toward the front of the car, chatting with one of the porters standing ready to assist.

Maes closed his eyes and willed his wounded stomach to break down the aspirin quickly, to give him some relief. Another sharp jerk and bump made him reconsider dying, and then Madeline reappeared, her arms loaded with inflatable rings. “What’re those?” he moaned.

“Let’s try these hemorrhoid holes, the porters said little old ladies like to sit on them.”

She tugged the cushion she’d brought for him out of the way and placed the donut seat down, then helped him to sit.  She put one behind him and one beside him, and then they waited.

While the next bump in the tracks took a bit to arrive, it was lessened in how badly it shook Maes’ insides when they hit it. “Still hurts,” he breathed, “but it’s much easier to take.”

Madeline rubbed his shoulder. “It’s the best we can do for now. Try your best to sleep, there’s nothing else to do.”

Eventually, sleep did come, and even the bumps and jumps couldn’t wake him.

* * *

 

The grand train station in Table City likely would have been more awe inspiring if Maes hadn’t been in so much pain. The car seemed to shake and rattle even more after crossing into Creta, and he prayed that he didn’t throw up. Madeline helped him up, thanked the staff for the inner tubes, and got him carefully down the steps to the platform (to which she gave the porters hell for not having a ramp).

Maes sat on a bench while Madeline called Eileen to let them know they’d arrived. He was miserable and wanting nothing more but to lie down in a bed for no less than four days. His insides felt battered and bruised after the jerky trip, and he hoped his host family didn’t mind if he didn’t feel up to cards and dancing for a few days yet.

“Alright, they live on the other side of the gorge, so it’s going to take a bit for them to get here,” Madeline said as she returned, fishing around in her purse until she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. “I’m so sorry, Gramps. I didn’t know the trip was going to be so rough or we would’ve stretched it out over a few days.”

Maes waved her apology away and he watched her light up. “Not your fault. After all- if I’m hurting it just means I’m still alive.”

They waited for nearly an hour before Eileen and an older boy came walking toward them. Madeline squealed and hurried to give the woman a hug. Maes watched as they smiled and went on about how much the other had changed. Eileen chuckled as she held her hand up to the top of Madeline’s head, marking how much shorter she was than her, even with heels on. Her dark hair was gathered in a loose braid that hung down her back to her waist, and she wore a plain green dress with a simple white belt and a white sweater. The boy looked to be about twelve or so, standing as tall as Eileen, and Maes figured they had to be related somehow. They shared the same eyes and nose.

“Let me introduce you to my Gramps!” Madeline said, smiling as she gestured to his weary form on the bench. “Gramps, this is my very good friend Eileen LeReaux and her son, Tameron. You’re going to their house out in the country.”

Maes forced a smile, and Eileen was sitting next to him in an instant. “Gramps, you’re gonna love it at my place,” she said, taking his hand. Up close, he could see she had heavy makeup on over her cheek, covering the indent of a scar. “Do you like homemade Cretan food? We’ve got all kinds of good stuff to eat, I’m sure you’ll love it! And we’ve got animals and three gardens- I just can’t wait for ya to see it!”

“I’m sorry,” he said gently as he could manage. “I’m in a lot of pain and I’d really just like to go to bed for a while.”

She asked Tameron to grab the suitcase and she and Madeline each took one of his hands to help him to his feet. She flashed him a beautiful smile and Maes knew he was going to like Eileen a lot.

“My husband brought our omnibus, it’s very bouncy and comfy, nothing like that damned ole train, I promise.”

They slowly made their way toward the exit, Maes more than ready for this leg of his journey to be over.


	3. Chapter 3

Before Maes left with his host family, Madeline spoke to Eileen’s husband (Dr. Paulie LeReaux, a board-certified internist who’d once served with the Cretan Mobile Army Hospital), sharing with him the medications Maes was taking, the surgical procedure that Dr. Knox had performed to save his life, and the diet he’d been on. She helped them get him into a hammock inside the giant vehicle and promised there would be some coded calls back and forth between the Christmas Inn and his temporary home to keep him updated on his family and their progress with their current situation.

“I promise, it won’t be forever,” she said as she squeezed his hand. “You be good and listen to Paulie, and don’t hesitate to ask Eileen for anything. She might be miles away from the Christmas Inn, but she’s still one of us. Madame wouldn’t have entrusted her with you if she wasn’t on the up and up.”

Maes sighed, feeling much better now that he was stretched out. “Thank you for everything, Madeline. Sorry I was an ass about the ice cream earlier.”

Madeline shook her head. “You can treat me when this is all over and you can come home, deal?”

“Deal,” he said with a grin. She kissed his forehead and then exited the bus. He could hear her telling Eileen goodbye and thanking them again for picking him up, and then Eileen was ordering several children to take their seats while she made her way to him. He couldn’t remember exactly how many there were… He thought it was five but maybe it was six? In any case, they all had dark hair except the baby one of the girls carried on her hip. And he was almost positive the boy he’d met was the only son.  They were well behaved for such a big group of them, and they all sat quietly as the vehicle’s engine roared to life.

“How’re you feelin’, sweetie?” she asked as Paulie called back to them that he was pulling away from the curb.

The hammock swayed a bit, but nothing jerky like the train. This was smooth and painless and Maes thanked the heavens for such comfort. He replied, “Much better now that I’m off that train and lying back.”

Eileen told him she wanted to get a look at his dressings and began unbuttoning his shirt at his belly. She nodded in approval, peeking under the wrappings as best she could.

“Looks clean, doesn’t stink like infection, so that’s good news. We’ll take a better look at it once we get to the house.” She went on to say that he would have his own room, though it was very small, and that he could sleep as much as he wanted.

“And like Maddie said, if you need _anything_ , just let us know. We’ll do the best we can to get whatever you want, so long as you’re healthy enough to have it, okay?”

Maes nodded. “Thank you so much-”

“Think nothing of it, honey. It’s been a long time since me and Paulie had this much excitement, we’re happy to do it!” She encouraged him to rest before she walked over to her daughter and took the baby, sitting down beside her and talking quietly as she cradled the child on her shoulder.

Maes drifted off to sleep and dreamed of when Elysia was tiny, just a little baby herself. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, so tiny and soft and pink, perfect in every way. He was sure that he could spend the rest of his life just looking at her, until he discovered he could take pictures and make everyone else look at her, too.

His short nap was restful and sweet, and when they arrived at the pale green farmhouse, he was roused by the sound of the children dashing off to go play in the yard. Maes shoved his glasses up to rub at his eyes as Paulie and Eileen came to help him out of the hammock.

“Easy,” Paulie cautioned. “Though I’m sure you’re healing right on schedule, we still want to be careful.”

Slowly, he managed to get in a sitting position with their help, and then they hauled him to his feet. He was sore, for sure, but resting seemed to make everything feel much better. He grinned at them. “I’m not usually so needy and weak!” he said with a laugh.

“In another two weeks, I bet you’ll be ready to do a jig,” Paulie quipped as he stepped off the bus, reaching for Maes’ hand as he maneuvered down the two steps to the soft dirt driveway.

“And here we are,” Eileen announced, hands on her hips and beaming at their home. “It’s not the Grand Hotel in Central, but it’s home!” She gasped and turned to him. “You’re not allergic to cats, are you?”

“No, I grew up with them as a child,” Maes assured her. “Might be nice to cuddle up with a kitten for a day or two.”

Eileen breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! I didn’t even think about that until just now- so scatterbrained since havin’ all these kids!”

Maes asked, “Just how many are there?” Paulie had gone on to open the front door while Eileen led him slowly to the front porch and up more steps.

“There’s seven. Our oldest is cleaning out the goat stalls today, that’s why Junior wasn’t with us.” She went on to say there were three boys and four girls, and hopefully she wasn’t expecting another, though it would still be a few days before they would know.

“I’ve only got one myself,” Maes commented as he was led through the kitchen.

“Oh, how wonderful! Boy? Girl?”

He beamed. “Little girl, Elysia. She just turned three years old. Miss her like crazy.” They turned a corner and Eileen opened a door. “I have a picture of her and my wife. I’ll show when we get to where we’re going.”

“Well, we have just arrived, so make yourself at home!” she exclaimed as she turned a bedside lamp on.

The room was indeed small, but it wasn’t cramped. There was a subtle floral wallpaper in different shades of lavender and pale blue, a comfy looking bed with a white chenille bedspread, a small armoire in a natural wood finish with a white lace doily on top, and a window framed in a light green curtain with a shade pulled halfway down. The small nightstand was painted white, and a white dining chair sat in the corner, a soft cushion in the seat in a faded red color, and a wicker basket full of books on the floor beside it. Eileen opened the window a crack and raised the shade up to let more light in and the boy that had been with them sat his suitcase down by the door.

“I’m gonna help Junior finish up if you don’t need me for a while,” he declared, his fingers tapping on the door jamb.

“That’s fine, Tam. I’ll ring the bell when supper’s ready.” She turned down the covers on the bed and motioned for Maes to sit down.  “How do you feel right now?”

“Sore. Tired. A little hungry.”

Eileen nodded. “Let’s see about getting some food in you, then we’ll do pain medication and something to help you sleep. I’m going to bring you a chamber pot to use for the next few days. We’ve got indoor plumbing but the commode is upstairs and you’re not ready for that just yet. Do you have anything to sleep in?”

Maes shook his head. “That suitcase is full of hair stuff to help me keep my disguise fresh. My hair is blacker than yours and Madame told me to stay on top of it.”

Eileen nodded and rolled her sleeves up. “I’ll be right back with some pajamas, and I’ll get Paulie to take a look at your bandages before I go start dinner.  Do you like mashed potatoes?”

“Love ‘em!” he grinned. “I bet you grow your own, don’t you?”

His hostess smiled at him. “You got it, friend! Now Maes, you take your shoes off and stay a while. I’ll send Paulie in in just a few minutes.”

Grateful to kick the uncomfortable loafers off, he did as he was told and pulled the photograph of his family from his shirt pocket and sat it on the nightstand. His stomach felt empty and sore, and as he gazed at the photo of his family, his eyes felt heavy as he waited for some homecooked food. The trip had been really exhausting and painful, and the sooner he could get those mashed potatoes and his medicine in his belly, the sooner he could sleep it all off. 

As he waited for Paulie, the sound of children shouting and laughing floated through the cracked window. It sounded like they were playing tag, and Maes couldn’t help but smile to himself. This cozy little room, kids all around him- it sure beat the somber silence that dominated Knox’s cabin. He hoped recovering here would be good for his spirit, too. His family and friends weren’t the only ones grieving his loss.

There was a short knock at the door and Paulie entered the room. Maes got the chance to get a good look at him as he walked over to the little white chair in the corner and brought it to his bedside. He was balding, the remaining hair just beginning to go salt-and-pepper gray. He had a big nose and kind eyes, and while he was tall and large, it didn’t look to be all fat. Maes would wager the man could hold his own in a bar brawl just fine. His voice was deep, almost like the man on Radio 2 who announced the news. He gestured to the room around them with his big hands, asking, “Do they have rooms that look like this in Central?”

Maes nodded.  “They’re few and far between, but I’ve seen some places like this.  It’s very charming.”

Paulie laughed, saying the word ‘country’ wasn’t an insult, particularly if the décor fit the description. Then his tone and expression turned serious. “From what Dr. Knox’s notes said, you were very nearly a dead man for real. That being said, I want you to know right away that I’m a strict doctor. Don’t mistake my stubbornness as rudeness, I just want to be sure we keep you in the land of the living.”

Maes nodded. “I understand.”

“I want you resting as much as possible. But I also want to make sure you’re not laying around too much.  So, there’ll be a short walk in the morning, a short walk after dinner, and after three or four days, I want you using the bathroom upstairs.”

Maes was worried about those stairs, but Paulie assured him that he was nearly ready to tackle them. He told him not to worry about it for now and that they’d cross that bridge when it was time. Eileen brought some pajamas in, along with clean bandages, scissors, antibiotic ointment, and antiseptic cleanser. 

Paulie asked him to take his shirt off so he could change the dressings and take a look at the wounds, and when his bare skin was open to the air, Maes wondered what his new doctor’s reaction was going to be.

After a few quiet moments, he muttered, “Damn…”

Maes took a deep breath. “Yeah.” He felt a soaked gauze pad being swabbed across his back where the exit wound was. “I was brought into the morgue in a body bag. They thought I was dead.”

Paulie hummed in agreement. “I can see why. Dr. Knox must be some kind of miracle worker.”

“His assistant has a habit of always checking for breath with a mirror right under the nostrils. That little habit saved my life.” Gently, Paulie dabbed some ointment to the healing skin before applying clean gauze padding and taping it down.

“It’s healing well, and the antibiotics are keeping it nice and clean. Might start weaning you off them once we’re able to let this be open to the air.” He looked at the incision at his chest, then began cleaning and dressing it as well. “This is actually doing very well. This one will be able to go without bandaging first.”

“I know I need to be patient, but I really can’t wait to be healed up. I need to move, get back to work.”

Paulie nodded. “Soon enough. You’re looking at three more weeks, at least. Probably closer to five, but we’ll see. You have to go one step at a time. If you rush this, you’ll be right back where you were- in a body bag.” He finished taping the dressing off and helped him change into the pajamas Eileen brought in. Once situated, he told Maes to expect to eat in his room for a few days, and then he could join the family out at the table if he felt like it.

“I’d like that,” Maes said with a grin. “I always wanted to eat with a big family. I’m an only child and only have one child myself.”

Paulie gently patted his shoulder. “Then I’ll make sure to set a place for you next week, alright?” He left the room and Maes took a moment to process the information he’d just been given. 

He knew he was safe here, that he was healing well, and thankful that Paulie knew he couldn’t stay too long. Maes wondered what his next step should even be. He couldn’t go back to Central, that would be too conspicuous, even with a disguise. Could he smuggle information to Roy somehow? Could he smuggle word to Gracia that he wasn’t really dead? Should he call Madame first?

“Alright, sweetie,” Eileen said as she brought in a tray of warm food for him. “Here’s mashed potatoes and gravy, as promised, and a little bit of applesauce for something cool and sweet after. Did you need any salt or pepper?” she asked, settling the tray on the nightstand.

Maes shook his head and grabbed the bowl, holding it to his chest and letting the warmth seep into his night shirt. “No, this is more than enough.” He dug in, blowing across the plain steel spoonful of food, then stuck it in his mouth. He hummed at the deliciousness flooding his taste buds and complimented his host on her cooking skills.

She gave him a delighted smile. “So glad you approve! Paulie will be in with some medication after we finish up. Remember to eat slowly, and then you can rest if you want or read, whatever you like until he comes back.” Maes nodded and thanked her again, she reminded him to just shout if he needed more water or anything, and then she cracked the door and went back to the table to eat with her family.

Maes hadn’t been eating well in the week he’d at Knox’s cabin. It had been mostly broth, though towards the end Madeline was thickening that with just the barest hint of instant potato flakes, or giving him very thin wheat cereal, like what Elysia used to eat from her bottle before she started on solid foods. To have something that felt and tasted like real food in his mouth was almost decadent.

After he finished his meal, he managed to get to his feet with the help of the little chair. He didn’t do anything other than just stand there for a few moments, carefully stretching his arms and legs. Then, using the chair like a walker, he moved around the room, peeking in the armoire and getting a closer look at the artwork on the walls. Finally, he sat the chair by the window. Using the sill as a brace, he sat down and carefully raised the window a few more inches. The sky was a deep blue, the darkest shade before the blackness of true night set in. Stars glittered overhead and a soft breeze fluttered the sheer curtains. Maes took a deep breath. The air was sweet, the scent of dew just beginning to rise. Faintly, he could hear a dog barking in the distance. But it was what he _didn’t_ smell or hear that made him finally relax.

There was peace here in this Cretan countryside. The sound of constant traffic and human activity was gone, the sound of boilers and smokestacks billowing into the sky wasn’t present, and even though he was currently in a house with seven children, there wasn’t any thundering feet or loud, childish giggles.  Even being in the country cabin in Amestris, there’d been a bit of road traffic and the floorboards irritatingly squeaking every time Madeline moved. He thought absently about asking Madame to bring Gracia and Elysia out to meet him here, and share this peace with them, maybe start a new life out here.

The door opened and Maes looked over his shoulder. Paulie shook a handful of bottles at him and Maes got to his feet, using the back of the chair and the window sill to help him up. Using the chair again, and liking the way Paulie complimented his ingenuity, he made his way back to bed.

“Alright Maes, here’s an antibiotic, a pain reliever, and a mild sedative, just something to help you stay asleep once you doze off.” He handed him the pills one by one, watching to be sure he took them all. Once that was done, Paulie asked if he wanted the window open that far or if he wanted an extra blanket, and Maes opted for the extra blanket.

“This air just smells too good to shut the breeze out,” he said as Paulie shook out a quilt and spread it over him. Paulie lowered the window a little more, saying he wanted to keep him from getting a cold from the cool fall air.

“Get some rest, we’ll get you out on the porch tomorrow if you feel up to it. You can have all the fresh air you like!”

With a promise like that, it was easy for Maes to switch the lamp off and give in to slumber.

* * *

 “Man, shit’s gettin’ too dangerous around here,” Chris said with an exasperated huff. She poured herself a scotch on the rocks and gulped it down, watching as Vanessa slid onto a barstool across from her. They’d just gotten a call in the Madame’s office about Roy being admitted to the hospital with terrible burns and a puncture wound.

“First Maes gets shot, now Roy’s in the hospital with a bad belly wound…” Vanessa scowled at the bar top and stole a cigarette from Chris’ pack. “What is going on?”

Chris poured herself another scotch, then reached under the bar and made Vanessa a martini. “I don’t even want to think about it right now. Who knows who or what’s listening these days.” After sliding Vanessa’s drink to her, she reached for a cigarette and lit up as well. In a hushed voice, she said, “We need to start digging on our own, see what we can find. We’ll have to take the info we have into consideration and maybe do some note swapping with Elizabeth.”

“Do you think we can still swap notes?” Vanessa asked, looking worried that maybe their secure link between them and Roy may be broken.

Chris shook her head. “I don’t really know, but what choice do we have?”

They listened for a while to the giggles and coos of the other girls entertaining an older gentleman who flashed big bills every now and then, then watched as Jessa eventually conned him into going upstairs with her. Madeline and Ruthie cleaned up their table and Chris broke the news to them.

“That’s not good at all,” Madeline commented, her tone worried. “Is it related to our other project?”

“I don’t know. We need to start doing some investigating and find out. I’m going to try to talk to Elizabeth later tonight, but that route of information might be compromised. We need to be ready to switch gears quickly.”

“Maybe we should close the bar tomorrow night, see if we can’t get Elizabeth to come in so we don’t have to worry about tapped phones and such,” Vanessa suggested. “If she comes in the back door, no one would even know.”

Madame nodded. “I’ll ask her about it tonight. In the meantime, I want your eyes and ears on full alert. Anything could be a clue.”

Her girls agreed and she dismissed them all for the night, locking the door behind them as Jessa’s bed began to creak upstairs. Madame went into her office, pulling out the notepad she kept in a locked drawer in her desk. Under the false bottom was where she’d torn off the important parts of Maes’ story and hid them, and she looked them over now.

They had at least two suspects, one female, one probably male. The female had an incredible sword or spear of some sort that had come right out of her hand, as if it were a part of her body. She was the one that got Maes in the shoulder. The other could shape shift both appearance and voice. This one she stared at for a long time. She would have to come up with a code word for all of her girls, to verify they were who they said they were. 

Her head swam with the thought of that shape shifter turning into Madeline and getting information about Maes that would lead to his actual death. That would be the absolute worst-case scenario. And if that happened, what would happen to _her?_ Or Roy?

She tapped the piece of paper, thinking about whether to tell Roy or ‘Elizabeth’ any of the information she had. It was dangerous intel she had here. There wasn’t a safe way to get it to her boy and guarantee his safety at the moment. No, she’d sit on it for now. She sighed and rubbed her temples. This was such a ticking time bomb she had in her lap, and Chris had no idea how to diffuse it.

She placed everything back as it was: the notes in the secret hidey hole, and the notepad on top of it, locking it all back in the drawer. She tugged the ledger from the wall safe and balanced the books for the night, and just as she was putting it away, Jessa and her john came down the stairs. Chris got up and made sure Jessa didn’t need any help getting him out the door.

“Well, I do thank you for a very, very lovely evening, Miss Jessa,” he said cheerfully. His cheeks were beet red and he had sweat beading at his receding hairline. “I do hope we can have another lovely evening sometime in the future.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Simpkins! Have a safe journey home, and we’ll see you again soon!” She held his hat in her hand, waiting for him to get his coat on and situated. Finally, she handed it to him, kissed his cheek and ushered him out the door without a problem.

Jessa counted out the Madame’s share of her pay, and Chris sat her down at the bar to catch her up to speed. Her reaction was the same as the others, but she understood the severity of their plight as well. After making sure both their pistols were loaded and safely in their purses, they departed into the chilly evening, eyes and ears open, ready for anything.


	4. Chapter 4

Though it felt like the days dragged on endlessly in the sticks outside Table City, Maes was at least grateful for the window and chair in his room. On an average day, he’d be brought to wakefulness by the busy chatter of children getting ready for school. Eileen would bring him some scrambled eggs and steel cut oats, a cup of coffee and some juice. After she got the kids off to school, she’d come help him get on the chamber pot to have a movement. The first time that had happened, Maes thought she was going to leave him there all morning. Turns out she was just giving him plenty of time to empty his bowels. His hostess got him all cleaned up and back sitting on the bed, checking his bandages and asking if he was in any pain.

Usually, Paulie would change the dressings before heading out to his private practice, and then he was free to do whatever he liked. With his chair/walker, he could move about the first floor of the house with ease, but he chose to stay in his room for now, despite the all clear to go sit on the front porch to his heart’s content. Instead, he planted himself by the window and looked out over the sizable garden that was empty apart from some pumpkins and winter squash. The goats roamed and leaped and jumped in their penned yard, and the two horses they kept meandered around the rest of the property.

He’d watch the clouds, letting his imagination pick out different shapes and scenes. He was learning which clouds meant rain and which meant just cloudiness. He listened to the birds and watched the cats hunt mice in the garden. He watched their yard dog greet the mailman with a friendly bark and a wagging tail. He watched friends and neighbors stop by to have a quick chat before moving on, and those were the worst times.

Maes felt like such a burden, needing all this care and taking up so much room in their lives. He missed his own family and friends, his own life. Sadly, he wondered if he’d ever be able to go home. Home- where his comfy bed and blankets were, where he knew his way to and from the refrigerator in the dark- even with toys scattered in the hallway; where he could comfortably take a crap without having to practically sit in the floor, where his slippers were, where his favorite pillow was… Home, where his perfect wife and daughter were. Where Roy was. Where his life was.

After almost two weeks, Paulie came in to change his morning dressings and said it would be the first day he’d be going upstairs to the restroom, at least for his morning movement until he felt more at ease climbing the stairs. 

“Your wound is healing wonderfully, and I’m actually not going to put a bandage on this one in the front anymore.” He did apply a thin coat of ointment to the baby pink skin, but told Maes to leave his shirt open for air. “You can rub it in if you want, just be gentle.”

Maes nodded, doing just that while Paulie changed the bandage on his back. He said he still had a few more days with the back wounds before he could go without the gauzes and tape, but he was mending nicely.

“And I think it’s safe to start you back on some more solid foods, so we’re gonna have a proper Cretan family dinner tonight. The kids want to meet you properly and I think it would be good for you to get out of this room.”

Maes felt embarrassed that they’d go through such trouble just for him. “You don’t have to do that, I don’t mind being out of the way back here-”

“You’re not in the way! In fact, Eileen and I both think you should be a little more in the way. It’s like we have a ghost back here or something!” He gently patted his back. “Really, you’re no trouble at all. So please, you’ve got the go ahead to get out of this room, put some clothes on and trek around outside.”  Paulie snorted laughter, then said, “Though I might suggest you let Eileen straighten that haircut out first.  You’re a mess!”

Maes reached up to touch the ‘bald spot’ Madeline had meticulously scraped into his scalp before they left. His fingertips were greeted with the feel of very short hair, no doubt black as coal surrounded by platinum blond on the sides. “Damn, I bet I look like a freak,” Maes replied with a chuckle.

“I’ll tell her to be ready to play beautician after she gets the girls fed and in the playpen. She might be able to save that black fuzz, if she uses my electric shaver. Maybe you’ll start feeling a little more like your old self again!”

“I sure hope so, Paulie.” Breakfast was soon served, Paulie went to his practice for the day, and Maes lost himself in the delicious plate of eggs, and for the first time since the shooting, sausage, and toast he soaked in his coffee to soften it up.

About an hour later, he met Eileen in the kitchen that he’d only seen once, when he was on his way into the room he now occupied. The baby and her slightly older sister giggled and grinned at Maes, who made faces at them while Eileen first cut the nearly white hair all the way down as close as she could manage, then plugged in her husband’s shaver and finished it off. When she was done, his head was buzzed down to a quarter of an inch, but it was all black and would just keep growing in that way.

Eileen put her hands on her hips and looked him over. “I don’t know what it looked like before all this started, but at least now you’ve got the right color all over. I bet in a month it’ll need to be properly trimmed.”

“Thank you so much,” Maes said as Eileen brushed the stray hairs from his neck with a dish towel. “I already feel so much better.”

“If Paulie says it’s okay, I want to try to get you into the shower tonight. Nothing like a good scrubbing to make a man feel his best.” She put the sheet she used to keep the hair off him and the dishtowel to the side and helped him to his feet. “Let’s take a walk out in the sunshine, stretch your legs and go meet our animals!”

He couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face. “I’d love to.”

She fished out a jacket and a hat from the hall closet, wrangled Colleen into a jacket and shoes, then wrapped the baby in her favorite blanket. When the four of them went outside to enjoy the early winter morning, Maes was grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

The hallway seemed much darker than it had in the past when Roy had come to visit the Hughes family. Before, it was just dim lighting caused by old bulbs and outdated fixtures. Now there was a sense of loss among the shadows; the knowing that someone was missing from the community of residents.

He reached out to knock on the door and hesitated for the slightest moment. He’d waited too long to come already, better to not postpone the visit any further. He knocked and waited patiently, hoping he hadn’t disturbed Gracia and Elysia from whatever they may be doing.

He heard the sliding of metal on metal as the deadbolt clicked open and another similar noise that was probably the chain lock. The door opened a fraction. Green eyes peeked out at him, and he heard a little gasp as realization set in.

“Oh, Roy!” she said as she pulled the door in a bit so she could remove the chain. The door flung open and she invited him inside.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” he remarked as he stepped past her, handing over his coat to her. “I’ve wanted to stop by for a while, but-”

She brushed his apology off as she hung his coat on the rack behind the door. “I know you were in the hospital for a time, I’m not worried about it. You shouldn’t worry about it either.”

She asked if he’d like a cup of coffee or maybe some tea, to which he politely refused. He took a seat on the sofa and she sat in a chair, and then silence reigned for a moment as Roy collected his thoughts.

Gracia fidgeted with a loose string on her sweater, then quietly said, “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

Roy nodded. “Yeah.” He wanted to tell her how little he’d slept and ate since it happened, how crazy he’d been with trying to find out who killed him, how worried he was that anyone could be next, and wondering if the monsters he’d chased under Central had anything to do with the murder. He wanted to ask about the little girl who must have been in bed already, wanting to know if she was doing any better than when he’d last seen her at the burial. Instead, Gracia broke the silence that had stretched out again between them.

“No, I mean I _don’t_ believe it was him in the casket.”

Roy looked at her. “What do you mean?”

She wrung her hands and looked down at her shoes. “The mortician had said the shooting and the autopsy had changed his body some, that the embalming exaggerated those changes, but I really don’t think that was my husband in the casket.” Her eyes were shining. “I didn’t think about it at the time, because I was so distraught over the news, and everything happened so fast regarding the funeral…”

Roy moved from the couch to kneel by her side, offering her his handkerchief. “What did you notice that was off?”

Gracia took a deep breath as she dabbed at her eyes, sniffling. “You and I have a unique perspective on Maes’ body and features, Roy. I was the only person besides the mortician to see Maes in the casket, and if you’d been there, you might’ve known right away. Remember that little place just behind his ear? Where that big mole used to be?”

“Of course,” Roy answered. “I helped put the ointment on it when he had it removed back at the academy.”

Gracia nodded. “He was very sensitive there, and it looked almost like a little red button, just begging to be pressed.” She chuckled to herself. “Got us both into some trouble from time to time, wouldn’t you agree?”

Roy couldn’t help a grin at that statement. He and Maes were very close friends, lovers at one point. Their relationship ended on pleasant terms and they continued to be friends. And that little red spot behind Maes’ ear was a fun way to instigate some playful wrestling that would almost always lead to more, and he imparted that secret to Gracia once after they’d married.

“So, you’re saying that spot wasn’t there?”

Seriousness crept back into Gracia’s expression. “There was nothing. And it wasn’t a trick of light or anything, you could plainly see where it should be. And his shoulders looked too narrow, though that could have been from the silk lining bunched up around him.”

Roy patted her knee. “Maybe the embalming fluid made the scar look different?”

Gracia shook her head. “The only thing the embalming fluid does is replace the blood. Scar tissue doesn’t contain any blood at all. That was just the baby pink skin that never matured.” She sighed. “I wanted to see his hands, but they were gloved. I would be one hundred percent positive it wasn’t him if there weren’t any knife scars on his right hand.”

Roy remembered when Maes started carrying the push knives, how he’d sliced his fingers up as he practiced getting the grip right. If those scars were missing…

“You could request an exhumation,” he suggested.

“I don’t know how. And they’ll probably just chalk it up to a grieving widow losing her mind anyway.” She got up and walked to the glass door that led to their small balcony, reaching into a drawer of a plant stand as she passed and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Roy followed her outside and watched her pull one out by the light of the streetlamps.

“When did you pick those up?” he asked, reaching for a glove to light it for her.

“The day after I’d sat up all night with an inconsolable little girl.” She dragged smoke into her lungs and exhaled it into the muggy night. “She’s not doing very well at all. She barely sleeps, barely eats… She has nightmares all the time about the dirt covering her daddy.” She offered the cigarettes to Roy, who took one and joined her. She went on to say the doctor had given Elysia some medicine to help her sleep dreamlessly and the name of a psychiatrist who may be able to help them both move on.

“But if he’s not dead,” Roy began, “you wouldn’t need to move on. You’d need to find him.”

“But where could he be? Who would want to take him away?”

Roy stared into the glowing red cherry on the end of his cigarette. “I have no idea. But being in Investigations can make enemies out people you may not suspect. Did he mention anything about anyone in the days before the shooting?”

Gracia thought for a moment, smoke drifting on the still air. “No. Mostly he never brought his work home, but sometimes he’d share things with me. Recently it was all about that Ishvalan criminal. No one other than that stands out, and he’s only been targeting alchemists.”

Roy flipped his ashes over the ledge as the sky danced in the distance with lightning. “Maybe he knew Heathcliff, and what Maes did to him.”

Gracia turned to him and asked, “You don’t think I’m crazy, do you? I mean, what if I really am just a grief-stricken widow searching for any reason for her husband to still be alive?”

Roy gently touched her shoulder. “I believe you. You would know your own husband, and if something feels off to you, I think you should consider requesting an exhumation.”

Roy found solace in her relieved expression. He’d put her at ease, even if he couldn’t do the same for himself.

“Thank you, Roy.”

They each finished their cigarettes and Roy said he wanted to beat the rain home. Gracia agreed, saying the weatherman had called for strong storms to last into the morning. He gathered his coat and gave her a hug before leaving.

“If you need anything, please call. Day or night, okay?”

Gracia nodded. “Be safe, Roy. Come visit anytime.”

As Roy descended the stairs and stepped back out into the night, he decided it would be worth finding out if someone had faked Maes’ death. And he knew exactly where to get the goods on the lowest of the low: Madame Christmas.

* * *

 

Chris had checked the phone lines five times within the past two days, just be sure they weren’t being tapped. It had been four weeks since the shooting, and she wanted to talk to Maes, let him know she was keeping tabs on his family and that so far, no one had bothered them at all apart from well-wishers and visitors bringing dishes of food and flowers to the grieving girls.

But Roy had come just that past Saturday to ask if she knew anything about someone else’s body being in Maes Hughes’ casket.

Chris recalled the skepticism in his voice when he asked her, telling her that even Gracia wasn’t sure if she was crazy with grief or there really was someone else in there besides her husband. At the time, she’d agreed with him, writing it off as widow’s grief. But he’d mentioned that it was odd that it hadn’t been an open casket funeral, given that it was a shot to the stomach that had supposedly killed him. Unless his face had been blasted apart, why not leave the coffin open for visitors to see?

“Do I look like an undertaker to you?” she’d exclaimed, pouring him a drink. “I’m sure they had their reasons.”

Chris didn’t mention that she knew exactly why it was a closed casket viewing. It had been ordered by the military, by her little bird at her request. But now, she was on to another task, one that involved a long-distance phone call to an old friend and some coded language.

Her fingers dialed the number, the rotor circling the numbers on the faceplate as she did so. The line began to ring, and she waited for someone to answer.

 _“Hello?”_ asked a young voice.  In the background came a shout about answering correctly. _“LeReaux residence, is this an emergency?”_

Chris grinned. “No, honey, not at all! Is Mrs. LeReaux there?”

_“Yes, ma’am. May I ask who’s calling?”_

“Can you tell her it’s her old Aunt Chris, please?” She heard the phone being laid down on a table, then the same young voice shouting across the house for ‘mom’ and that ‘Auntie Chris was calling’. An exasperated sigh and a hushed admonishment for being so rude was overheard, then Eileen was on the line.

_“Oh, Aunt Chris! How wonderful of you to call! So sorry for Raylene shouting in the background, she’s just now being allowed to answer the phone around here!”_

“No apologies needed, sweetie,” Chris reassured her. “Kids are kids and shouting’s all they know for a time. How are things going?”

Eileen responded _, “Oh, everything’s fine. We’re getting ready for Midwinter and thinking about going shopping in a few days to get some decorations and take the baby into town to see the Holly King for the first time.”_ There was a rustle and she said quietly, _“Is the city air cold there?”_

Anytime her girls mentioned anything about the air being cold, that was their signal to know if someone may be listening in on the line. Chris replied, “Sometimes, but our warm days are getting fewer and far between.” This meant she wasn’t sure, but better to be safe than sorry.  “How’s Gramps doing?”

_“Gramps is doing just fine. He’s eating better and really enjoying the countryside. He likes to watch Junior play with the goats and plays fetch with Sparky. And he’s just excellent with Colleen and Jolene! They love him!”_

Chris grinned as she nodded her head. “I figured he might enjoy being around your brood. Glad to hear everyone’s getting along and doing well. Hey, would you mind passing a note to him for me? I don’t think he can hear me too well over the phone, with his hearing going and all.”

The sound of a drawer opening came over the line. _“Of course not, Aunt Chris. I’d be glad to relay a message to him for you.”_

“Let him know that Granny’s doing great. She’s recovering with lots of friends and neighbors by her side, and they all bring her food so she doesn’t have to bother with cooking. Their kitten is growing up so fast and she misses Gramps, but she’s doing okay. They’re both eating like queens and will be so overjoyed when Gramps comes home. Right now, the doctor thinks it’s good for them to stay apart until she’s doing better, but I’ll keep you both informed as to when he can come home. I still haven’t told your cousin what happened. He’s really busy right now, but I have a feeling he’ll figure it out sooner or later.”

 _“My cousin is always busy!”_ Eileen crowed. _“Glad Granny’s alright, though. I worry about her a lot, and that little kitten, too. She must be so lost without Gramps there.”_

Chris played with the spiraled cord on the end of the receiver. “Yeah, well, Gramps spoils that little thing. She probably misses his little cuddles and treats and kisses more than anything.”

_“I bet he misses her just as much,” Eileen replied gently. “Wish you’d come and visit sometime too, we miss you!”_

“I’ll have to take a raincheck on it for now, but I will let you know when. Who knows, maybe I can bring Granny and that kitten with me when I come!”

_“Oh, I just know he’d love that, Aunt Chris. Keep in touch, and I hope to see you soon!”_

“Have a good evening, sweetie. Give the children and everyone my love.”

She hung up the phone. It sounded like Maes was healing well and enjoying his exile for the moment. It relieved her to know he wasn’t moping around as he recovered. Chris wondered how he was going to take the news of his family still dealing with his loss, and hoped it didn’t change his demeanor too much. He still needed time to heal, and as long as he stayed with Eileen, he could do just that, and do it safely.

Just then, Vanessa appeared in the doorway. “You’ve got a regular out front.”

She stood up and brushed the ashes off her dress and applied a few spritzes of perfume around her neck. “Mr. Collins or Mr. Neeley?”

“Mr. Duncan,” Vanessa said with a wicked grin. Chris groaned. He smelled like garlic and grunted like a wild boar when they were together.

“Great,” she replied sarcastically.

“He said something about winning big at a poker game, maybe you can con him out of some extra cenz!” Vanessa teased as Chris stepped into the hallway.

“I should charge him extra for being obnoxious!” She imitated his stupid grunting and ridiculous thrusting.

Vanessa waved her hand in front of her face. “Or maybe for just being _noxious_!”

They both laughed before walking toward the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

Table City was beautiful and bustling with people going from shop to shop, purchasing Midwinter gifts and special treats of the season. Carolers on the corner were decked out in traditional winter garb and singing in their native language. On another corner, someone was dressed as the Holly King and ringing a bell. He was handing out candy to the children and collecting change for a local charity.

The LeReaux family was happily moving through the throngs of people, Maes pushing a baby carriage with both Jolene and Colleen in it, and Corbin excitedly pointing things out to his little sisters right beside it.  Eileen had the two older girls, Pauline and Raylene, and the older boys walked further ahead with their father.

Anyone else may have accused the LeReaux’s of using Maes as a literal babysitter, but it was the opposite. Maes enjoyed looking after the littlest ones and asked if he could push the carriage. Corbin was his ‘Big Helper’, and Eileen had said that such a responsibility had helped bring the little boy out of his shell.

Paulie got stopped a lot, by patients wishing him and the family a happy holiday season. But for the most part, they were able to keep moving until they’d finally reached their ultimate destination.

Corbin gasped and said, “Look, Mr. Maes! It’s the tree!”

In the middle of the square was a very large Midwinter tree, bedecked in large baubles and ornaments, electric candles clipped onto the branches, and a large, sparkling star on top. Scattered around the bottom were wrapped packages of all sizes with bright bows. Statues of rearing stags and the Holly King stood nearby, and people crowded around both sites snapping pictures.

“Wow!” he exclaimed, hands on his hips as he stared slack jawed, hoping to impress his little friend with his enthusiasm. “That’s the biggest Midwinter tree I’ve ever seen!” Corbin smiled to himself, seemingly pleased that he could show off such a thing. Maes knelt down and said, “Maybe some time I could show you what Midwinter looks like where I’m from! Our trees are not this big, but we have lots of them! And each one has a different theme!”

Corbin tilted his head to the side. “What’s a theme?”

Maes hummed in thought, then replied, “It’s like a matching outfit, kind of. For instance, last year, the tree closest to my home was decorated all in snowflakes. Big ones, little ones, silver ones, blue ones, all kinds! And instead of a star on top, it had a great big fancy snowflake with glitter and lights and everything. But the tree closest to where I worked was decorated all in nutcrackers, and the star on top looked like the stars on the nutcrackers’ helmets!” He went on to say there was one that was all pink and had dolls for ornaments, one that had deer all over it, and one that had summer time things all over it with a sun instead of a star.

“And that’s not all! Our Holly King wears green and gold, but your Holly King wears red and white! Do you leave out milk and cookies or do you leave out carrots and oats?”

“We leave out both!” Corbin answered, his eyes wide with wonder.

“We leave out milk and cookies, but sometimes bad children leave out mead and honey bread, too.”

Colleen gasped. “That’s a good idea! And maybe you don’t get a rock in your sock!”

“Sometimes it works!” Maes stood up and took Corbin’s hand for a minute, a sad smile settling on his lips. “I sure hope you guys can come visit me sometime once I get back home. I know you’d just love my little girl and my wife.” Not wanting to bring everyone down, he quickly added, “Gracia makes the best Midwinter snacks. She makes chocolate covered pretzels that look like the Holly King’s stag!”

All the children thought that sounded cool, and asked if he knew how to make them- and if he did, would he make them when they got home. That put a smile on his face, being able to share a gift like a family tradition with them. Eileen squeezed his shoulder and told him she’d be glad to help them later that evening if he wanted, that they could get the supplies while they were already out and about town.

They stopped at the small ice rink to watch an ice dancer twirl around for a few minutes, then they were back on their quests for gifts. The girls decided what to get for Paulie, and the boys decided what to get for Eileen, though Maes suspected each parent was secretly window shopping and making a list for what the Holly King should bring to the children. And since the babies were really too young to participate in the shopping, he was in charge of keeping them entertained for about an hour while the rest of the family searched for the right presents.

Luckily, there was a carousel not far from the ice rink, and he took the girls over for several spins atop festively decorated deer. While Colleen seemed to think the ride was mediocre (and maybe a little too loud), Jolene squealed and kicked her legs to the merry tune playing until she was red in the face.  Maes got as much joy watching her as she had riding it. Eventually, he caught sight of Paulie looking for them and he hauled her off her painted wooden steed so they could go over to her family.

And Jolene wasn’t having any of it.

Despite her angry cries and Colleen’s concern for her sister, he managed to get the girls off the ride and back into the buggy without too much of a problem. It wasn’t until afterward he noticed people still staring at him.

Paulie picked up Jolene and offered her a sucker from the bag in his hand while Corbin gave one just like it to Colleen. “A treat usually makes everything better, doesn’t it sweetheart?” He kissed her temple and smiled at Maes. “Thanks for watching them, it really made everything easy this year.”

Maes couldn’t shake the feeling that he had way too many pairs of eyes on him. Sure, Jolene wailed like a bear caught in a steel trap, but he’d seen other toddlers do it before they even got on, and people were _still_ looking at them.

“Is it just me, or does it feel like we’re being watched by everyone in the square?” he asked casually.

Paulie scanned the crowd for a moment, then frowned. “Yeah… I wonder why? Haven’t they seen an angry child before?” He told him not to worry about it, that maybe it was Maes’ accent attracting attention or something.

Not long after that, Eileen and the older girls joined them, deer pretzel makings in hand, and they began the journey back to the omnibus parked at the end of the street. As they breezed past the bank, Maes realized more and more people downright glaring at him. Looking to the right, he saw why.

There by the post office was a big wanted poster for a gentleman named Horace Schwartz. It said he was wanted for breaking and entering, burglary, theft over ten thousand francs, and wanton endangerment. The criminal was considered armed and very dangerous, was last seen on the other side of the ridge in Yellow Mount, where the LeReaux family lived, and could be wearing a disguise to take advantage of holiday shoppers. There was a description of him and a drawn image of what the man looked like…

And Maes matched the description _perfectly_.

Though the picture showed the man without glasses, he was a dead ringer for Maes. Even had the same height and build as he did. And he did not like how everyone was looking so closely at him, when he clearly was not who the poster was after. Eileen saw it, and saw his face afterward.

“Let’s get home. We’ve got neighbors who know you and can vouch for you.”

Maes nodded, speechless at the thought he could be arrested and thrown in jail after everything else he’d already gone through. He tried to not think about it, but his ‘Big Helper’ knew something was wrong and patted his arm. He put on a smile for Corbin and the little ones he was pushing in the baby carriage, but inside he was full of anxiety. He expected them to be followed the whole way home, but no police tailed them. The rest of the night went off without a hitch, and when Maes went to bed that night, he found sleep easily despite the day’s stress.

The next morning, life went on as usual. Neighbors waved hello as they made their way to work, the children left for school together in heavy coats and scarves, Paulie left for his practice as always, and he and Eileen tidied up the house while Joleen and Colleen entertained each other in the playpen.

They left the radio on as they worked, both to make the time go by a little faster and to distract the children. In between the music came a string of advertisements and then a news brief.

“Breaking news in Table City today,” the male newscaster reported. “Police received several phone calls regarding a man who appeared to match the description of wanted burglar Horace Schwartz. The tipsters say the man was spotted at the Midwinter Festival last evening, pushing a baby carriage and accompanied by three children. At this time, police have doubled their presence in the city square and are advising both shoppers and shopkeepers to be on the lookout.”

Maes frowned at the radio. “Great, Amestris wants me dead and Creta wants me arrested.”

Eileen shushed him and switched the thing off. “Don’t worry, everything’s fine!” She gathered up the broom and dust pan from him and went back to the kitchen. “I think we’ve done enough for one day. Those kids need to have chores to do when they get home.”

Maes continued to stand in the parlor, his mind working overtime. “Eileen, I don’t have any papers saying who I am or where I’m from. If they were to arrest me, I have no way to prove I’m not the guy they’re looking for.”

She came to the doorway, hands on her hips. “And just what do you think I used to do in Madame’s employ?”

It occurred to Maes that he’d never thought to ask before. “I have no idea, but that doesn’t change the fact I have no identification.”

Eileen took his hand and tugged him into the dining room. She pulled a drawer completely out of the buffet and dumped it noisily out onto the table. She reached under the bottom and Maes heard a soft click, and then a false bottom popped from the drawer.

Inside were identification cards, in stacks and tied with rubber bands. There were also traveling papers, birth certificates, driver’s licenses…

Eileen handed him a stack of ID cards. “Who do you want to be? Pick one and I’ll make sure we get a picture of you on it.”

“Where did you get all these?” Maes asked as he looked through the cards.

“I made them. I’m a professional forger.”

The Cretan card in his hand looked authentic to him, and the Amestrian one looked even more realistic. “These are amazing! How did you get into forgery?” he asked as he looked at one of the blank birth certificates.

Eileen grinned as she took her cleaning apron off. “My father was a sign painter. He showed me how to effectively copy anything I saw onto paper. When he died, my mother turned tricks to feed us, and through a friend of a friend, we ended up working for Madame Christmas. The forger who was doing her work for her at that time was nearly in the grave, and his hands shook so bad from being drunk all the time that his work was becoming shoddy.” She reached into another drawer and pulled a pencil and paper, then handed them to Maes. “Sign your name and I’ll show you a trick!”

Maes’ brow wrinkled in confusion, but he did as she asked anyway, quickly signing the blank piece of paper as he’d signed dozens of papers at work. He then watched Eileen study the signature for a moment, pencil in hand, and mimicked it exactly directly underneath.

Maes couldn’t believe it. “How’d you do that!?” he exclaimed, leaning down to examine the two signatures more closely.

She shrugged. “It’s my calling.”

“You’re not kidding!”

“Mama!” Colleen cried from the parlor. “Joleen’s stinky!”

“Be right there, pumpkin!” Her long dark braid swung as she turned from Maes. “Diaper duty. Pick a name from one of those cards and I’ll be sure you have ID by tonight.” She hung her apron up in the kitchen before retrieving the baby from the playpen, and Maes stood dumbfounded and still disbelieving what he plainly just witnessed.

Later that night after dinner, Eileen presented him with everything he needed to be considered a legal Cretan citizen. He hadn’t been formally introduced to anyone outside the LeReaux family, but he was now officially Pierre-Michel Renard, of Merac, Creta. It would allow him to still use Maes as a shortened form of his name and allow him to be able to move freely about the country without worry of being arrested.

But despite having the reassurance from both Paulie and Eileen that no one in the Yellow Mount area suspected him of being Horace Schwartz, and having the documents he needed to prove he wasn’t, Maes couldn’t fight the itching in his soul that was telling him to get back to Amestris, to get his information to Roy and get his wife and daughter safely out of the country before whatever happened went down.

Two days later, he faked a headache to get out of going to the grocers with Eileen and the girls. He waited until they’d passed out of sight before going upstairs to the boys’ bedroom and pilfering a camping pack. He went back to his room and methodically jammed all the clothes he’d been given into it, every bit of money he’d earned from helping around the farm once he was recovered, and the documents Eileen had made him. Quickly, he wrote out a letter of thanks to the family, promised he would contact them again when his mission was complete, and to tell Chris he would contact her very soon.

Maes raced to the door- Eileen wouldn’t be gone very long. He paused before opening the door, looking back into the parlor with its Midwinter decorations and twinkling lights hung on the mantle. He thought about staying until after New Year’s, but that would just delay the inevitable even more. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then opened the door and ran out behind the goat stable, heading down a hill covered in brown grass and bare trees. He kept going until he came to the fenced edge of the LeReaux property, then climbed over it and kept going until he met a paved road that wound through other farms and over a hill. He only looked back once, and he didn’t stop until after nightfall, taking shelter in an empty horse stall at the back of another property.

In the morning, Maes found himself being roused by a friendly dog and a grumpy old woman using a shotgun for a cane. He apologized for startling her, and she warned him to be off before she had to cock her gun.

He quickly scrambled to his feet and got going, asking if she could point him in the direction of Aerugo.

She pointed toward the road he’d left in the night. “That way, about eighty miles.”

He thanked her and beat feet away from her as fast as he could. After all, the sooner he got started, the sooner he could get back home to Amestris.

* * *

It had been over two months since Owen and Madame had seen each other. As she poured him a drink, he saw Vanessa flip the closed sign over the window and lock the door. Only then did he let out the breath he was holding.

“I saw one of them, Chris.”

She paused, her lighter flickering at the end of her cigarette as her expression turned serious. Finally, she lit up and took a drag from it. “Yeah?”

He fidgeted with his glass. “Yeah. I had to work on a Xingese girl who’d cut her arm off to save the prince she’s watching over. Apparently two of them followed us out there.” He looked up at her. “I’ve never seen anything like it. This thing… It destroyed the cabin in Irmo, but I don’t even know how. And there was another, but I only heard the voice- never saw who was making it.”

Silence spread between them as he recalled that night in his head. He’d taken the girl to his house, along with Lt. Hawkeye and Roy, while that Xingese prince and the Elric brothers took off after the monsters.

Chris spoke quietly in her rough voice. “Roy told me he killed one. A woman. I think it was the one who got Maes in the shoulder with that spear.” She blew smoke away from his face as she poured herself a scotch on the rocks. “He said that’s what put him in the hospital. She’s the one who crippled his other sniper and put that hole in his belly that he sealed up with his flames. She stabbed them with one of her long, spiky fingers. He said they were powered by an alchemical stone, something that made them almost immortal.”

Owen frowned. “I kept hearing a voice say, ‘He’s the one who killed Lust!’. The other voice I heard called that person Gluttony. Maybe their names are from the seven deadly sins.”

Madame chuckled to herself. “Well, you’re really gonna love this one,” she said as she came around the bar to sit next to him. After crawling up on a barstool, she sighed. “Bradley is one of them, too. He split Roy’s unit up and has Riza directly under him to keep my boy in line.”

“What?” Owen breathed, his ashes dusting the back of his hand as they fell.

“And that’s not all,” Chris continued. “Two nights ago, Roy had me start looking into Selim Bradley’s past. We found out he’s one, too. King is Wrath, Selim is Pride, or at least they think he’s Pride. Edward Elric told Roy the shapeshifter is called Envy, and that the Xingese prince was kidnapped and had Greed forced into his body.”

“My god…” He looked up at the ceiling, reeling with the information. Chris went on to mention that Roy and the Elric brothers were supposed to be part of some kind of alchemical sacrifice that the sins’ leader had ordered, which was why there was a nationwide transmutation circle being made in the first place.

“So, we have six of the seven sins accounted for, as apparently, their leader is not Sloth. The Fullmetal kid said they called him Father.”

“And we know who tried to kill Maes,” Owen commented.

“And we know _why_ they tried to kill him.”

He sighed, then gulped his gin and tonic down. “So, Roy knows everything now, except the fact that Maes is still alive and where he is.”

Madame nodded as she stubbed her cigarette out. “And if I tell him that, he’s going to do something stupid. For now, I’m keeping him in the dark about Maes, though I suspect he may figure that out soon, too.” She got up and walked behind the bar again, took out a manila envelope from under the bar top, and showed him a dittoed piece of paper from inside it. It was a request for an exhumation on the body of Brigadier General Maes Hughes.

“If Bradley sees this…” Owen mused aloud.

“If his _leader_ sees this, there could be trouble for a lot of us.” She lit another cigarette. “I have conveniently made the request disappear, for now. But our next adventure is going to entail getting the remainder of the Hughes family safely out of this country- without Roy finding out.”

Owen scratched his chin. “I dunno, Chris. I’m back on good terms with my wife and son, I don’t know if I want to get back into the middle of all this.”

“They’ll trace that fake body right back to us and you know it. We’re both in too deep, and we don’t have a whole lot of time. Whatever they’re planning, it’s going to happen in about eight weeks, on the day of the solar eclipse.”

He sighed, knowing she was right. If they traced that body back to him, who knew what they’d do to him and the family he’d just reconnected with. “What do you have in mind?”

“I’m going to reunite the Hughes’ in Creta, and possibly high-tail it out there myself with my girls. Might be a grand time for a family vacation for you and yours, don’t you think?” She grinned at him. “I’ve got places we can land, money, cars, you name it. I don’t know if what’s going to happen will only affect Amestris or the entire world or the entire universe. But I want to make sure Maes gets to see his wife and daughter again.”

“And what about Roy?” he asked.

“He’s already said he’ll see it through to the end, no matter what. He figures if he can take down Bradley, he’ll be that much closer to becoming Führer himself. And I’ve already asked him to change his mind, but he won’t. So, I’ll have to let bygones be bygones, no matter the outcome.”

Owen nodded. He knocked back the last of his drink and slid off the barstool. “When is our excursion supposed to happen?”

“I’ve got to somehow convince Gracia to go with us, so probably not for at least three weeks. And that’s if nothing major happens between now and then. I’ll keep you posted. Might send one of the girls in my place, but you’ll know when. I’ll get tickets and everything lined up, you just pack your bags.”

“Alright.” He grabbed his hat and coat, adjusted his glasses, and said, “Thank you for thinking of my family.”

She dismissed his comment with a wave as she unlocked the door. “No trouble, Owen. We’ll talk soon.”

As he walked out into the cold winter night, he wondered if the nights in Creta were just as cold or if they were a bit warmer. He flipped his collar up to shield his neck from the wind and grunted about the walk home.


	6. Chapter 6

January had been bitter cold in Central for as long as Maes could remember. But in Aerugo, the weather was much milder and more tolerable, which made traveling about on foot easier to deal with. He’d recently stopped at a newsstand and browsed the newspapers. Horace Schwartz, his doppelganger back in Table City, had been arrested. While it was a relief that he no longer had to hide his face with a thick scarf anymore, going back to the LeReaux farmstead would keep him rooted longer than he needed to be. He still wanted to get the information about the transmutation circle to Roy as quickly as possible. And it had been so long since he’d heard anything from Madame Christmas directly. After finishing a snack of stolen bread from a bakery trash bin, he scrounged up what little money he had left to see about calling the bar.

He dropped the coins into a pay phone across the street from a bus depot in a little village called Basetto, and fished a slip of paper from his wallet that had a coded number on it. As he waited for someone to pick up, he wondered who would answer and how should he speak…

_“Christmas Inn, can I help you?”_

Ahh, the Mad Madame herself. He cleared his throat and faked an older voice. “Hi, honey! It’s Gramps!”

There was a pause, then the sound of her chair squealing. _“Gramps! It’s so wonderful to hear your voice! How are you?”_

“Oh… Not too good,” he bemoaned. “My stomach is much better but now my feet and legs are acting up. Had to go somewhere warmer for a few weeks.”

He heard scratching in the background, as if she were furiously writing on a notepad. _“I’m sorry to hear that. I do have something that may cheer you up though!”_

“Oh?”

_“Yes, that headstrong grandson of yours seems to finally be getting the message and has gotten his studies under him at last. We expect he’ll graduate in the spring, right on time.”_

Maes wondered if she was talking about Roy, and if she was implying that he had the information he so desperately wanted his friend to have. And was she giving him an estimate of when he could come home? Then he remembered what Eileen had told him regarding their code about the air being cold.

“That sounds dandy!” he croaked cheerfully, as only a grandfather could. “Say, is the air cold in Central these days?”

She chuckled. _“Yes, very cold, I’m afraid. I don’t know when it’s going to let up, but I wish it was summer already.”_

Ah. She didn’t trust her own phone lines. Shit must be getting really deep if she no longer had secure communication. “That’s a shame, I was hoping to come see Granny soon. But if it’s too cold, I’ll just have to wait here I guess.”

 _“Are you staying somewhere? Maybe she can write you a letter or send you a telegram?”_ More sounds of writing scratched in the background.

“Well, I don’t have a permanent place yet, I just got here. I’m in Aerugo.”

She hummed, thinking, then said, _“I have a friend there, in a city called Vaccio. I’ll tell him to expect you. Once you get to Vaccio, ask around for a place called the Silver Vines Hotel-_ uh Albergo di Vitigni d'Argento _. He can put you up in a nice room, just make sure to tell him you’re my Gramps, alright? And then call me again when you get there.”_

“Oh, sweetheart, you’re the best granddaughter an old man ever had,” he said with a kind chuckle. He asked her to repeat the name of the hotel, and then he repeated it back to her, committing it to memory. “I’ll talk to you soon as I can. Take care of Granny and my little kitten, okay?”

_“Of course. Talk to you soon.”_

He hung the phone up and took a deep breath. It seemed things were still okay, even though he’d been away from home for almost three months now. He walked back to the bus station and looked at the map. He couldn’t speak Aerugoan, but he could make out the road names, and Vaccio looked to be about 40 miles south west from Basetto. The thought of walking so far made his legs hurt. He’d been walking so much already- over a hundred miles so far- but there seemed to be no other choice.

As he began strolling away from the map, he spied a discarded carboard box in a trash can. He ripped one of the flaps off, then using a pen he’d found along his journey, he wrote out ‘VACCIO’ and started down the road, holding his thumb out when he encountered a car or a truck and hoping someone would help him out. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long, and though the wind was cold in the back of the pickup truck, he was grateful to arrive in Vaccio rested.

They arrived in a busy little town after about an hour or so. The driver knocked on the window to let Maes know they’d arrived, and he climbed out of the bed of the truck to thank him.

“Uh, the _Albergo di Vitigni d'Argento_?” he asked, hoping the man knew what he meant.

The driver’s thick gray mustache hid his grin, but Maes could see it in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. “Your pronunciation needs work, friend!” he said, his accent thick and biting back chuckles.

Maes sighed with relief. “You speak Amestrian, thank heavens!”

The man’s hand pointed toward a tall building overlooking a very large fountain covered in pigeons. “Right there, next to the pastry shop. Can’t miss it.”

Maes thanked him again, then crossed the street with a wave. The first thing he noticed was the streets here were different from the streets in Central or even Table City. The road was made of smooth, worn cobblestones, all varying colors of red and brown. The sidewalks were much wider as well, and they were not run of the mill cement, but rather fine granite flagstones that glittered in the winter sunshine. Nearly everyone was on a bicycle, and every eatery in the square had a large outdoor place for locals to gather.

The building facades were cheerfully painted with bright, bold colors. A book store was a bright blue, a ladies’ boutique was yellow with lavender accents, the bakery was red and green, the bank a pale gold with black trim. As he strolled by, he watched the people milling about these places, talking excitedly with their hands and expressive faces. A group of men gathered around a bistro table seemed to be passionately discussing sports (judging by their gestures of throwing or hitting things) while a pair of women chatted near a lamp post and shared a laugh about something. Maes’ lips tugged up into a grin. So far, Vaccio seemed like a very typical Aerugoan town.

The Silver Vines Hotel stood before him, a slate gray giant among rainbows. It was five stories tall, half a block wide, but fit right into the scenery with its tactfully matching blue shutters, colorful window flower box gardens, and etched glass doors. He saw the huge marble fountain with its scene of horses drawing a man in a chariot up a hill, all surrounded by cherubs and gilded sunbeams. There were small groups of people collecting around it as well, a mostly younger crowd, sitting along the edges and sipping at drinks from the bakery. Maes paused and just looked around the square, hustling and bustling with life and wishing he had a camera so he could show everyone what a beautiful place he’d found.

As he approached the hotel, he saw the etched pattern of leaves on the glass with silver foil accents on some of them. He entered the lobby and went to the front desk, hoping someone spoke Amestrian among them.

The girl behind the counter smiled and asked him something in Aerugoan, and Maes answered, “Uh, do you speak Amestrian?”

Her eyes widened and she leaned forward. “ _Sei il_ Gramps?”

While he didn’t know exactly what she’d asked him, he knew Chris would have told the owner to be looking for a Gramps. He grinned and nodded, pointing at himself. “Sí! Gramps!”

She held her finger up, indicating for him to give her a moment, and then she disappeared into the manager’s office. Maes looked around, admiring the décor and architecture of the building, shuffling the weight of his stolen backpack as he waited. When the young lady returned, she had a key and an envelope. She told him the room number, but he didn’t understand, so she quickly scribbled the number down onto a corner of the envelope.

He thanked her with a bow of his head, and turned for the elevator. As he waited for the car to come down, his first thoughts were about taking a hot bath and a nap in a real bed for the first time in almost a week. The door dinged as it opened and broke his thoughts, and he was surprised to see an operator inside the car. He asked something in Aerugoan and Maes pointed to the room number on his envelope. The operator closed the doors and sent them right up to the top floor, and attempted to say ‘Enjoy your stay!’, but it came out as “Have a great time with us!” Maes thanked him and walked to his room.

He got another surprise when he opened the door and found that this was no simple room, but a suite. There was a sitting area with sofas and chairs, a cabinet style radio with an assortment of liquor and crystal glasses on top of it. There also was a covered plate of what looked like eclairs on the coffee table, and his stomach rumbled appreciatively. He left the backpack by the door and went straight away to the food left for him.

He gobbled down four of them before wondering if they were fresh that day or if they’d been sitting a bit. The feeling of being full after being so hungry for over a week, however, quieted his concerns. He ate another before pouring himself a bit of rum to wash it all down, and then he decided to explore the rest of the room.

The bedroom was tactfully decorated and inviting with its mounds of soft pillows and luxurious looking duvet. He saw a robe hanging on a door, a closet he discovered once he opened it up. Inside was also a change of clothing, all in his size. He chuckled to himself as he took out the sport coat to get a better look at it.

“Man, this must be what it’s like to be a picture star!” He noted the color and style of the jacket was right on trend with the magazines back in Central. He put it back in the closet and closed the door, reaching out to grab the robe with its monogramed logo. He toed off the worn loafers he’d been trekking in and went to inspect the bathroom.

The whole space glistened under the electric sun lamp in the middle of the ceiling. Gleaming fixtures, shining porcelain, beautiful tilework- it looked like paradise. Maes draped the robe over the corner of the door and began peeling out of his dirty clothes. He showered first, scrubbing the dirt from his body and hair, then filled the slipper tub to soak and relax. He couldn’t remember water feeling so amazing before. His aching legs and feet appreciated the pampering the most. Just before the water got too cool, he got out and toweled off.

At the LeReaux house, there was no mirror in the bathroom. He didn’t ask why. He knew Eileen and the girls had mirrors in their bedrooms because she mentioned once about keeping them clean. As he passed the fogged glass in the bathroom, he paused and went back to dry it off and take a good look at himself, and he didn’t know how to feel about what he saw.

His hair was a mess. It was too long in some places and too short in others. Thankfully, it was at least all black. The stubble of a half-grown goatee covered most of his face. Paulie lent him the electric shaver for a while and Maes didn’t need a mirror to use that. The thing that troubled him most were his eyes. They looked older, like when he first came back from Ishval…

He turned to look at his back and saw the scarring from Dr. Knox’s brilliant lifesaving handiwork. It still looked so tender, though Maes felt more like his old self again. The scars on his chest and shoulder looked much better, having not been as severe as the gaping exit wound that monster’s bullet had torn through him.

“Damn,” he muttered to himself, still gazing at his reflection. What would Gracia think if she saw him like this? He shook his head and grabbed the robe, deciding that maybe he should get more to eat and forget about it for now. After all, he wasn’t planning on doing anything until at least trying that bed out and getting a good night’s rest.

As he sat down on the sofa with the whole plate of treats on his lap, there came a knock at the door. He frowned, but rose to answer it anyway. He cracked it open just a sliver, and a very well-dressed man smiled back at him.

“Hello, ‘Gramps’. I trust everything is up to snuff in here?”

Maes opened the door a little wider. “Yes, it’s absolutely amazing!” The man asked to come in and Maes stepped aside.

“Our friend in Amestris told me you’re very important to her, so I wanted to be sure you had the best of everything up here. Is there anything you want that you didn’t already find?”

Maes made a point to thank him for everything that was already there, and to ask about getting some food that was more than dessert. “Maybe a toothbrush and shaving supplies, as well.”

He reached into a pocket on his suit and handed him another envelope. “Madame instructed me to give you this once you’d had a chance to settle in. My name is Roberto, and if you need anything just ask for me. I’ve told the staff we have a foreign guest who knows me, so no need to feel embarrassed.”

Maes took the envelope and shook Roberto’s hand. “Thank you so much for everything, I’m so grateful for all you’ve done already.”

Roberto smiled. “It’s no trouble. A friend of Madame Christmas is a friend of mine.” He showed himself out and Maes turned his attention now to two envelopes. He opened the one he received from the clerk downstairs first.

Inside was a telegram, and though it was short, Maes felt like leaping through the roof and touching the sun.

The woman who’d cared for him at the cabin was bringing his wife and daughter to him. They were going to find out he wasn’t dead after all. They were going to be a family again.

Tears of joy poured from his eyes. He couldn’t wait to see them, to wrap them up in his arms and just hold them close to him. He kissed the telegram and tried to get himself under control, then put the telegram back in the envelope, sniffling.

The other envelope contained a bundle of bills in varying denominations. There was a note with them as well, saying that everything he might need could be found in the square, that a phrasebook was in the drawer of the nightstand, and if he needed more cash to ask for Roberto.

Maes closed his eyes and thanked his lucky stars and whatever deities may be watching over him for his good fortune. “Thank you so much,” he whispered as he held both envelopes in his hands.

He went to the bedroom to find the Aerugoan/Amestrian dictionary and heard knocking again at the door. He slipped all his treasures into the nightstand and hurried back to the sitting room. A man in a white coat had a cart with two silver covered platters, a carafe of coffee, and a pitcher of ice water. He entered the room and put the food and drinks on the coffee table, took the demolished plate of sweets away, and smiled as he wheeled the cart out. Maes thanked him, then put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the knob. After he locked the door, he took the robe off and strode naked to the radio. He found some music after searching the channels, then poured himself a glass of wine, and returned to his delicious smelling dinner.

“I’m living the dream, Gracia,” he said to himself as he rubbed his hands together. He sat down in the floor and took the silvery tops off the platters. “Room service, swanky accommodations, free liquor…” He rose his wine glass as his mouth watered at the sight of an Amestrian steak and potatoes dinner. “And I get to eat naked in the floor. Cheers!”

He ate too much, he was certain later. But when he crawled into the bed and reached for the telegram to reread it, his stomach pain eased at the thought of his family coming to see him soon. He wondered how long it would be, how Elysia would handle seeing him again, how Gracia would react… Sleep came for him soon enough, and his dreams were joyful as he slumbered, warm and cozy for the first time in days.

* * *

 

As was becoming routine, Gracia and Roy were standing on her balcony, sharing cigarettes and concerns on the frigid night air. She worried that Elysia wasn’t adjusting well after all, because she was drawing pictures of Maes’ grave all the time, and little stick figures crying big blue tears. She wasn’t growing like she should because she wasn’t eating like she was supposed to. Hell, Gracia herself had lost almost twenty pounds since the funeral, despite all the food that still came from well-wishing neighbors and friends.

“I guess I should count my victories where I can,” Gracia said, blowing smoke toward the sky. “She’s sleeping through the night without any nightmares, and while she’s withdrawn when playing with her playmates, she still manages to participate sometimes in games.”

Roy sighed, frowning and shaking his head. “I wish there was something I could do to make her better.”

Gracia nodded, switching her cigarette to her other hand, so she could warm the first up in her coat pocket. “I know. I do, too.”

Roy flipped his ashes and licked his chapped lips. “Actually, I might be able to do something to give you both a little change of pace.” He put the paper wrapped tobacco stick in his mouth and reached into his breast pocket. He pulled out an envelope and said, “Things are about to get bad in Central. I don’t know what all is going to go down, but I do think you and Elysia will be much safer out of the country.”

Gracia furrowed her brow, aghast at his words. “Leave the country? I can’t just pick up and run away from my home, Roy. I’m still waiting to hear about the exhumation, then there’s Elysia’s doctors-”

“If you’ve ever needed to trust me, it’s now. I’ve taken it upon myself to look after you and Elysia as if you were my own family, and I mean it- everything is going to be turned upside down and it won’t matter who’s in that grave if you’re in it, too.”

She watched him finish his smoke and flip the butt over the railing. He said not to open the envelope until he was gone and that she needed to follow the instructions inside to the letter. Then he opened her balcony door and stepped inside.

“Everything you need to know is in the envelope. This will be my last visit for a while, so stay safe.”

She threw her cigarette away too and followed him in. “Wait, what’s that supposed to mean, Roy?”

She watched as he took a deep breath, as if he had so much he wanted to say. But his eyes suddenly looked around the room, and he kept his statement to himself. “I’ve got to go. Thank you so much for having me over, I’ll be in touch soon.”

He let himself out and Gracia stood at the door watching him as he jogged down the stairs. She felt a shiver up her back, and a little creeped out at Roy’s prophecy. She turned and went back into her apartment, locking the door behind her and settling down on the sofa to open the envelope.

Inside was a note with beautiful handwriting and two train tickets.

 

Gracia’s heart was racing. These instructions… They were very specific and had a cloak-and-dagger feeling about them. Then she remembered Roy once said his foster mother and sisters were very protective of him and his closest friends. Perhaps they had some kind of over the top scheme worked out to save her and Elysia for whatever was getting ready to happen in Central. And seeing how she suspected her husband wasn’t really the person she saw in his casket, and that the circumstances surrounding his murder seemed to be full of loose ends to her, perhaps the extra caution was warranted.

She could almost hear Maes encouraging her to go, to chase the unknown in an adventure to bring them closer to healing. Anything had to be better than sitting in the place that held his memory, his scent, and countless reminders of a husband and father that wasn’t there.

She got up and went to the kitchen table, grabbing a note pad and a pencil. She made a list of things to do before leaving, including shutting her city services off and going to the bank to put her jewelry in a safety deposit box. At last, she was ready to go to bed.

As she flipped the lights off and changed into her pajamas, she wondered how much her life would change in the next ten days. She found she wasn’t scared as much as concerned about the mystery event that was going to happen here at home. She knew she and her little girl would be okay, but what about her friends and neighbors?

She shook her head, crawling into bed and grabbing a photo frame from her nightstand. In the frame was a picture of her and Maes on their wedding day, not the perfectly posed shot that had cost her parents dearly, but a candid shot at their reception, of them laughing at her father trying to dance. Her fingers traced Maes’ jaw and she sighed.

“Where are you, my dear?” she whispered. “Tell me your secrets so I can catch up to you.”

His likeness was silent, but she had the sense that he really wanted her to be on that train.

“We’ll go, don’t worry. A change will do us good.”

She put the frame back on the table and she clicked the lamp off. As she snuggled down into the blankets, she said a prayer hoping that wherever Maes was, he was safe and sound. Her thoughts turned over and over in her head until after the clock chimed 1 am, then she finally fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Pride frowned. He hadn’t been able to discern what the letter inside the mysterious envelope Mustang had handed to the wife of the man Envy killed back in the fall, but his shadowy eyes did see the to-do list she’d written out before going to bed. Mustang hadn’t said anything about it out loud either, and this gave the homunculus cause for concern. Something was up, but what?

There was a knock at his bedroom door, and he quickly replaced his scowl with a more child-like expression. “Come in,” he said in a faked sleepy voice.

It was Wrath, smiling like a proud father. “I just wanted to come and wish you good night, son,” he said, closing the door behind him and perpetuating their act to anyone who may have been eavesdropping. But as soon as the door closed, they dropped their cover. Wrath crossed the room and stood beside Pride’s bed.

“Kimblee’s carved the crest in Drachma,” he murmured, clasping his hands behind his back.

“No doubt he enjoyed spilling every drop in the snow,” Pride replied. “And Sloth?”

“Temporarily distracted by the Ice Queen, but he’s already back underground. We anticipate it to be completed within the next three weeks.”

Pride’s hands clenched. “I don’t like waiting until the last minute. It should have been done before now.”

“You worry too much. Father’s confident everything will be ready right on time.” He then asked about their sacrifices, if they were all still accounted for and safe.

“The Elric boys are still wandering in the north, though the younger one seems to be having some issues with his blood seal.”

“Oh?” Wrath asked, sitting on the side of the bed.

“It’s like he’s having fainting spells. Sometimes he’s out for a while. He’s scared.”

Wrath’s brow furrowed in concern. “Maybe we should consider a backup candidate, just in case.”

“And then there’s Mustang,” Pride added. “He gave Hughes’ wife an envelope containing a letter I couldn’t see and two train tickets. She made a list of things to do, like cutting off her utilities and putting her jewelry in a bank box… What’s he doing?”

Wrath waved his concerns away. “Maybe he’s trying to distract her from exhuming her dead husband. I doubt it’s anything serious. Besides, it’s not like a housewife and a little girl can do anything to help him get out of his duty to us. You need to concentrate on watching the sacrifices, and only worry if Mustang says anything about our homunculi status to anyone.” He got to his feet. “Not much longer and this will all be over. Be vigilant.”

Pride grumbled that he was _always_ vigilant and watched as Wrath left his room, giving him a candy-coated wish for sweet dreams that made him sick to his stomach. Afterward, he reached out once more to check on all the sacrifices he was looking over. Satisfied that they were all asleep and safe for the night (apart from the hulking suit of armor that never slept), he burrowed into his own soft blankets and decided to heed his brother’s advice about the Hughes family.

* * *

“Mommy?” Elysia woke up to find her suitcase sitting on the foot of her bed and her mother putting things into it. “What’s going on?” she asked, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

“We’re going on a trip today,” she answered, packing some socks and extra shoes. “We get to ride the train!”

Elysia gasped. “On the train!?”

“Yes!” her mother replied, giggling. “But it’s a long trip, and I don’t know when we’ll be coming home, so we have to take some things with us, okay?”

Elysia was so excited she could hardly stand it. She leaped to her feet and bounced on the bed, clapping her hands and squealing. “A train trip! A train trip! A train trip!”

Mommy snatched her up and peppered her cheeks with kisses. “I’m so happy that you’re excited! But we still can’t jump on the bed, alright?”

“Yes, Mommy, I’m sorry.” She danced around the room, asking if she could take her favorite bunny and wear her favorite dress-

And then all at once, she remembered something very sad.

This was going to be her first train trip, and Daddy wasn’t going to be there to go with them.

She flopped down on the rug beside her bed, quiet.

The sound of her mother filling her suitcase stopped, and she asked, “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Elysia didn’t want to say. She didn’t want to keep saying the reason everything was rotten and terrible was because Daddy was never coming back. She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Daddy won’t be there.”

It was very quiet in the room for a moment, but then her mother went back to packing her things up and finally closed the suitcase and sat it in the floor. Then Mommy sat down in front of her and put her hands on her small knees and spoke gently to her.

“What if I told you we were going to go look for Daddy.”

Elysia raised her head. “Look for Daddy?”

Mommy nodded. “I think he did a big switcheroo on us, sweetie. I think Daddy’s hiding somewhere, and we’re gonna go find him, together.”

“Is that why we’re taking a train trip?” Elysia asked.

Her mom made a face like when she was thinking about what to make for dinner. “You might say that. We know he’s not here in Central. Maybe we need to look in another place, a faraway place.”

Elysia’s eyes widened. “Maybe Daddy ran away from his work! He always had so much to do!”

Mommy smiled. “Maybe! So, what do you say- do you want to help me find him?”

Elysia threw her arms around Mommy, hugging her tightly. “I hope we find him soon! I miss him so much!”

“I know baby, me too,” Mommy said, patting her back and giving her a kiss to the top of her head. “Alright, we have to get dressed and eat a quick breakfast so we can take the cab to the station!”

After gobbling up an egg and some toast, they each put on a pretty dress, brushed their hair quickly, and carried their suitcases down the stairs. Elysia was surprised to find a man waiting for them, holding an umbrella to keep them dry as she and Mommy made their way to his car. He grabbed their bags and held the door open so they could climb in. Most of the time, she and Mommy walked where they needed to go, but if the weather was bad, Mommy would wave her hand for a car to come get them. Elysia didn’t know a car could _wait for them_ , though.

The ride to the station was over much too quickly, but their destination was truly a sight to behold. It was so big and busy! She could hear the different whistles coming from the tracks and she was so excited to be going on an adventure to find Daddy. The car stopped and the nice man handed Mommy the umbrella while he carried their suitcases inside.

It was much warmer and drier in the station, and the nice man smiled and wished them a safe journey before leaving. Mommy took a moment to pull their tickets out and figure out what track to go to. After that, they hurried among the travelers and made it to the train just as the workmen were shouting, “All aboard!”

When the train pulled away, Elysia watched out the window with eyes that couldn’t get enough of the scenery. It was like looking at the backside of the city, seeing a side of the buildings she’d never gotten to look at before. The longer they rode, the buildings got smaller and further between, and then there was nothing but trees for a long time.

When the train stopped, Mommy said they would be picking up a new friend that would help them. Elysia wondered what the person would look like, if they were old or young or in the middle, like Mommy. It turned out that their new friend was very nice, a lady named Madeline.

And Madeline had the best toys! Elysia had brought her favorite bunny, and Mommy had brought some books to read in case she got bored on the long ride, but Miss Maddie brought a _tea set_ , and a doll that had four different dresses and all kinds of things to play with! While Mommy and Miss Maddie talked quietly, Elysia played tea party with the new toys she’d been given until it was time for lunch.

And as she ate, she felt something she hadn’t felt since Daddy went away.

Elysia felt _happy._

* * *

They made it into Aerugo just after dinner. Madeline watched as mother and daughter ate dessert together with big smiles as she reapplied her lipstick. She couldn’t wait to tell them the news, about where they were going or who they were meeting, but she also wanted to surprise them. Maes didn’t know they were on their way today, he only knew they were coming soon. She even prepared for the moment they reunited by wearing her expensive waterproof mascara and eye liner.

As Madeline debated on what to do regarding telling the girls or not telling them, she recalled in her mind Madame’s ire at Maes for deserting the LeReaux residence.

“Goddamn it,” the older woman had grumbled, slinging pages in a coded contact book trying to find someone in Vaccio that could loan her some money for him. “He doesn’t know a word of Aerugoan, he’s gonna stick out like a sore thumb!”

Vanessa had reminded her that Maes- just like Roy- had a stubborn streak, and that if he thought the police were coming for him instead of that Schwartz guy, he would probably run for it.

“Still shoulda stayed put! Doesn’t he know anything about hiding out?” After that, she shooed everyone out so she could make her calls and get Maes’ newest home set up.

Now Madeline looked on Maes’ wife and daughter and knew that perhaps switching locales would be beneficial in helping whoever was after him stay off their trail. After all, why would she go with his family to Aerugo when she’d taken him to Creta?

“Hey,” she said amicably as Gracia wiped chocolate syrup from Elysia’s cheeks. “Do you guys wanna know where we’re going?”

Elysia bounced up and down in her seat. “Yes, yes! Where are we going Miss Maddie?”

She smiled. “It’s a very famous hotel in a city called Vaccio. You’ll just love the pretty square it’s sitting in. And there’s a very special person I want you to meet there.”

“Who are we meeting?” Gracia asked, her eyes intently looking at her.

“Now, now… I can’t just go blabbing all the details where any ole body can hear! Maybe I should tell you a little story first, but we’ll have to wait until we get off the train. I don’t trust anyone here to overhear us.” She looked around and whispered, “I want to be sure we haven’t been followed.”

Immediately, Gracia reached out to hold her daughter in her arms. “Are we safe?”

Madeline nodded. “I’ve been watching the whole car and I haven’t noticed anything out of place or strange. I’m almost certain I could speak freely, but it will be easier once we get off. Not many people in Aerugo speak Amestrian. Even then, we must keep our eyes and ears open.” She smiled and reached into her purse, handing Elysia a lollipop. “But don’t worry, ladies! You’re very safe with me!”

Gracia didn’t seem so sure. Madeline moved to sit closely beside her. She opened her purse as if she were rooting around for more candy, but instead she made sure that Gracia saw her loaded Mauser pistol and two extra clips. “I doubt it will come to that, but we’ll be safe if it does,” she murmured.

“Is this about what happened to Maes?” Gracia asked quietly.

“Part of it, yes. But there’s also something bigger, and that will definitely have to wait until we get to the hotel.” She made a big to do about finding a bottle of nail polish at last, then asked Elysia if she wanted her nails done while they waited for their stop. Of course, the little girl agreed, and when the three of them disembarked, Elysia had pretty purple nails to match the ribbon in her hair.

They hailed a taxi to take them into the city square, and just as the first stars began to pop out in the sky, they reached the Silver Vines Hotel.

* * *

Rain pittered off the windows in the library at the Führer’s mansion. While Mrs. Bradley insisted Selim find something to do inside, he wanted more than anything to leave. He had no interest in the music on the radio or the books supposedly meant for his level. So, he sighed and climbed into the bay window to stare out at the rain clouds.

Being bored at having to be cooped up inside all day, he decided to reach out with his shadows and peek in on different people throughout the city. There was a vagrant on the bad side of town that Pride liked to see every now and then, and today he was freezing cold and soaked to the bone. His teeth chattered and his empty eyes seemed to be looking for an overhang or warm corner in the alleys, but none could be found. Pride’s inky black fingers flung a bottle at the beggar’s head and he dashed away in fear, while Pride held his sides laughing in the library.

He thought he might as well check on the grieving Hughes girls while he was surveying the city, and found they were gone. Dark tendrils sped along the tracks, into the cars, searching until he finally found them.

And something tickled in the back of his mind when he saw another young woman with them. He’d seen her before, but he couldn’t place where, or why he’d made note of her, other than she was very pretty. He decided to listen in as the women talked.

Their conversation was nothing to note. The girl was playing while the women spoke of shallow topics like fashion and food. He peered into Mrs. Hughes’ purse and found a substantial amount of cash, much more than one needed for a weekend getaway, but otherwise it was tissues and candy and a modest pocketbook.

But the other woman, the one the girl kept calling Miss Maddie, carried something much more sinister in her own bag. There was a pistol and magazines, a switchblade, poison in a lipstick tube and more in a glass perfume bottle. Considering Mustang had been the one to suggest the trip, what was the Hughes family doing with such a dangerous woman?

The train sped along the tracks, toward Aerugo. The staff began to serve dinner and the woman with the arsenal in her purse seemed to get antsy. He wondered if she was going to act on her instincts or not, and that’s when he lost the vision of the train car.

His murky extensions, usually so sure and reliable as actually being present, felt as if they were going numb. It was the same feeling he would get when his leg would fall asleep. The vision was grainy, the sounds and scents suddenly spotty, like a bad radio transmission.

Pride reeled himself back in a bit, and realized he could not go beyond the outermost part of the transmutation circle. He watched the train cross into Aerugo, where he could no longer monitor the Hughes family.

In an instant, he’d abandoned the tracks and skittered along to the cemetery where Maes Hughes was buried. He wondered… could he wriggle down into the ground and peek into the casket? He didn’t get very far; without light, there was no shadow. If he could just get into that coffin-

“Selim? Are you alright?”

His thoughts were broken by his ‘mother’s’ voice. “Mommy, I’m bored,” he said, sighing. He hoped he didn’t look as unsettled as he felt.

Luckily, Mrs. Bradley smiled and came to his side, putting her arms around him. “I’m sorry, dear. Maybe a snack would cheer you up.” She guided him from his seat in the window and down the hall to the kitchen. While Pride wanted to think more about who really was in Maes Hughes’ grave, he couldn’t deny that Mrs. Bradley always knew the best way to pick his mood up.

* * *

Maes had already turned the radio off for the night and was brushing his teeth, looking at himself in the mirror and trying to decide if he liked the way the barber had cut his hair. As he was rinsing his mouth out, he heard a knock at the door. He glanced at the clock by the bed and furrowed his brow in confusion. It was awfully late for a visitor.

He opened the door and gasped. “Madeline!” he cried, then immediately regretted it when she shushed him and half-heartedly shoved him back into the room. She shut the door behind her and he felt like he was going to vibrate out of his skin with joy at the sight of someone he knew from Amestris.

And knowing that she’d likely brought Gracia and Elysia with her…

“You’re looking so much better than when I last saw ya, Gramps!” she teased, hugging him tightly. “You really made Madame mad, coming out here, y’know.”

Maes nodded. “Trust me, I thought about staying, but I didn’t want to put her contact in danger. There’s incriminating stuff in Eileen’s house and they didn’t need that kind of trouble if I were to stay.” He scrunched his face up and waved that conversation away as she stepped back from him. “Where are my girls?”

Gently, she urged him to sit down for a moment so they could talk. “They’re with me down the hall, but there’s some news I felt we should discuss before the reunion.”

Frowning, he asked, “Is Roy alright?”

“He’s fine. He’s got everything figured out and they’ve got their plan in place. Everyone’s just waiting on the right timing. Don’t concern yourself with that.”

“Then what is it?”

“Whatever is going on underneath Amestris goes far deeper than you knew. We discovered through Roy and the Elric brothers that there are seven assassins under the leadership of one person called Father. The seven people were named after the Seven Deadly Sins. The shapeshifter you saw was Envy.”

Maes was both relieved that someone found out who his attacker was and horrified that there were seven in total of these monsters. “A gang of monsters underground…”

“They are very hard to kill, but Roy killed the woman- Lust- who got you in the shoulder. He told Madame he had to burn her to a crisp several times before she finally died. They’re all powered by philosopher stones.”

Maes got up and paced around the room, thinking. “Did you account for all seven of them?”

Madeline began to tick them off on her fingers. “Lust is dead, Envy and Gluttony are in Central, Sloth was at Briggs but we’ve lost track of him, Greed seems to be disinterested in being a part of the group from what we can tell, and you’re never going to believe who Pride and Wrath are.”

“Who?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound as scared as he felt.

“Wrath is King Bradley himself, and Pride is Selim.”

Maes sat down across from her, jaw unhinged and speechless at the news. She went on to explain that Selim had a big advantage over his fellow gang members because his monstrous power was being able to manipulate shadows like a puppet master. He could obtain information without ever leaving the Führer’s mansion.

“From what information we gathered, we’re fairly certain his shadows only reach as far as the perimeter of the transmutation circle, meaning we are safe here to talk openly. But we don’t know if they have operatives on the outside. It isn’t likely, considering they’re only interested in Amestris, but it’s hard to say. So, I brought along a few presents for you.”

She opened her large purse and began pulling out guns. Maes was impressed with the assortment- a Glock, a Mauser, an M11, a sawed-off shotgun, and shells for everything. She’d even brought a set of push knives and a collection of grenades and flash bombs. “Riza said it won’t stop them, but it’ll sure slow them down enough to get away.”

“Madeline, are we really in that much danger?” he asked, heart pounding in his ears.

She took a deep breath. “I don’t think so. Like I said, we’ve heard nothing from our contacts outside of Amestris about anyone suspicious- well, apart from Kimblee going to Drachma just on the other side of the Briggs wall and decimating a good amount of people. But, it’s nice to be prepared, especially since I wouldn’t have the first clue where to get this kind of arsenal here in Vaccio.”

Maes nodded. “Just in case, right?”

“Right.”

“Okay. Does Gracia know anything about any of this?” he asked, gathering up the guns and placing them in strategic places throughout the suite.

“I only told her I couldn’t speak about any details until after we came here. I did make a point of showing her the Mauser I carry in my regular purse.” She followed him, placing the clips and rounds with the appropriate weapons. “I just wanted to update you and give you these before they got here, to catch you up in plain Amestrian rather than coded jargon you might not even understand.”

He reached up into the top of a closet and placed the shotgun on a shelf. “Madame said something about my ‘grandson graduating right on time in the spring’. What’s that about?”

Madeline giggled. “Whatever they’ve got planned, it’s going down in the spring. Apparently, it involves the solar eclipse.”

“And Roy’s leading the charge I imagine,” he grumbled as he led them back out to the sitting room.

“Of course, he is!” Madeline agreed. “And if you’d stayed in Amestris to heal up, I imagine you’d be right beside him.”

He turned to her. “I wanna see my family.”

“I’ll go get them and bring them down here. I spoke to Roberto, we’re gonna have the whole floor to ourselves, because in a few weeks, all of Madame’s girls are gonna join us. She’ll be coming down at the last minute, but we’ll all be together again.”

He smiled. “I owe her my life. She’s gone above and beyond- I’ll never be able to repay her.”

Madeline patted his arm. “I’m gonna go get your family, Maes. Be right back.”

He watched her leave, taking a moment to digest all the info she’d given him. Spring was only a few weeks away, and Roy already knew the monsters who’d come after him could be killed.

“Watch your back, Roy,” he murmured to himself. Somehow, he had a feeling Roy understood the seriousness of the situation, and every base was covered and covered again. After all, he only had the best men under his direct command.

The door opened and Madeline’s voice called, “Look who I found!”

Maes looked up and saw the most beautiful sight in the whole world- his wife and daughter racing to him with open arms.

It was a mash up of arms and tears. There were hugs and kisses, lots of crying from everyone…

“Daddy, don’t ever run away again!” Elysia sobbed.

“Never, princess,” he answered. “Never, ever, ever again, I promise!”

He didn’t know how long they stayed that way, huddled together in the middle of the hotel suite and just crying and embracing one another. He couldn’t help but chuckle though when Madeline interrupted them to pass out tissues to everyone.

“You guys have a lot of catching up to do,” she said, dabbing at her eyes. “I’m going to go back to my room and if you need me, just knock.”

Maes thanked her for keeping his girls safe on the way to Vaccio. Madeline bid them all good night and let herself out, and the Hughes family reveled in their togetherness.


	8. Chapter 8

While Maes had gotten used to sleeping alone, he was overjoyed to find himself cuddled up to his family, even if it was a little cramped in the bed. Elysia’s hair tickled him awake in the mornings and her cold little toes kept him awake at night for a bit, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He’d told Gracia everything he could remember, from the night he was shot, to waking up in the morgue, to spending an excruciating week in Irmo at Knox’s cabin with only Madeline and beef broth to keep him company. He told her about the LeReaux family in Creta, how wonderful they’d been to him and how he hoped they could go as a family to visit once the all clear had been sounded.

For a few weeks, they waited at the Silver Vines Hotel, venturing out into the square on days it wasn’t raining and living on room service on days it was. Elysia loved feeding the pigeons and Gracia loved the colorful buildings. He bought a camera and took as many pictures as he could, and even got Madeline to help him get a sweet family photo that captured the fountain, the birds and the rainbow of businesses in the background.

Madame’s girls arrived one at a time to join them. Jessa was first, bringing with her a steamer trunk that had lots of files and audio reels in it. A couple of days later, Ruthie turned up. Maes wasn’t sure what it was she’d originally brought with her, but the next day she handed him a few stacks of wrapped cash. Vanessa was last, with more firearms and shells in her suitcases, and a stash of imported Drachman liqueur that was banned in Aerugo. Roberto was very pleased with that surprise, Maes noticed that night as they all ate dinner together in the reserved room at the bar. He didn’t know if that went towards paying for some of the debt the group of them were racking up, but the hotel owner smiled wide and was generous with the wine that night.

Vanessa had told them Chris would be coming the night before Roy started the ball rolling on their plan to vanquish the sins from Central, and hopefully, take the Führer’s seat. Maes hoped Roy hadn’t gotten in over his head, and later after Elysia went to bed, he asked her about it in the room she was sharing with Madeline.

“No, honey,” she said as she washed the makeup off her face. “They have Briggs soldiers to back them up and lots of old war buddies- he’ll be fine.” She admitted she didn’t know the whole plan, only that they were going to be well stocked with ammunition and everything they needed to make a successful coup, and that he shouldn’t worry.

“When Madame comes, you can ask her the details; she knows everything.” She turned to him and put her hands on her hips, her face shiny and pink from scrubbing. “Now- I’ve had a super long trip, and I wanna get some sleep! Shoo!” she said with a grin as she gestured for him to leave.

Madeline laughed. “I keep telling her she’ll never really get any beauty sleep until she’s beautiful inside first, but she keeps ignoring me!”

“Shush, you old hag!” Vanessa said, no ire in her voice. She picked up a pillow from the sofa and playfully smacked her colleague in the face. “You keep me up with your snoring, so we’re even!”

Maes shook his head, grinning. “Be nice, girls! Remember- you’re still on the clock!” They bid each other goodnight and he returned to his suite.

The next few days were uneventful. The Hughes family spent as much time together as possible and the girls from the Christmas Inn mostly kept to themselves, one manning the telephone, one watching the lobby, and the other two milling around the square. And then the day came when Chris arrived.

She’d slept on the train and had dark circles under her eyes, but otherwise no worse for the wear. She called a meeting almost as soon as she got to her room, and everyone except Gracia and Elysia attended it.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” she said, cigarette balanced between her lips. “Roy reminded me to be alert when the eclipse starts. Whatever those bastards have planned, it seems to involve blocking the sun out.” Chris looked down at a sparkling gold and diamond watch on her wrist. “He said it’s supposed to take place right around quarter after three, which would be about quarter after two here. I’m gonna be honest- I’m scared shitless.”

They were all quiet as her statement hung in the air. Apparently, the seriousness of the event hadn’t hit them until just now. Madame took a drink of scotch from an ice filled tumbler near her hand, cleared her throat and began again.

“We’re well outside the limits of that transmutation circle, and I’m positive we won’t be directly involved in any attack by our enemies. What worries me is the possibility of some kind of natural catastrophe. What if whatever happens causes an earthquake? Or cyclones? We don’t really know, so we can’t really prepare. We gotta be ready for literally anything.”

“Where do we even start?” Ruthie asked, her hands resting on her knees. “We ain’t got anything apart from a shitload of guns and bombs!”

“I brought flashlights and canteens. It’s better than nothing, and if the building crashes down on our heads, we might make it if we’ve got at least that much.” Chris flipped her ashes into a crystal ashtray. “I thought the hard part was gonna be getting out here in time, but I see now that we might face a fight, too. We just gotta be light on our feet, all of us. Besides, Roy’s got the real shit job in this mess.”

Maes took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking it all in. He’d just been reunited with his family and now he was wondering if he would lose them again- lose _everyone_. “Madame, what do I tell Gracia and Elysia?”

“Well, we really don’t know what’s going to happen. Maybe nothing, maybe everything. Who knows? I’d tell ‘em eclipses sometimes cause crazy shit to happen, and you can play the part of overprotective family man to cover for your nerves.”

That didn’t make him feel any better, but Madeline patted his arm. “That’s actually a pretty good ruse. Run with it, Maes.”

“I want us all together in this room. If something tragic happens, we’re on the top floor. It’ll be easier to dig us out of the rubble and we’ll have a better chance for survival if we stay in one little knot.” Chris rose, draining the liquor from her glass and walking to the little bar beside the radio to get a refill. “Maes, I promised I would watch your girls and I meant it. We’re gonna get through this, and then we can all go home.”

She dismissed them, told them all to get some breakfast and meet back at one-thirty. Maes meandered down to his suite and stopped before opening the door. His stomach churned with anxiety, and though he wasn’t particularly hungry, he knew he should make himself eat, especially if it could potentially be his last meal for a long while. He took a deep breath and forced the images of a collapsed building from his mind.

“Whatever will be, will be,” he reminded himself. After all, he couldn’t do anything if he didn’t know what to expect.

He opened the door and smiled when Elysia ran to him. He gathered her up in his arms and spun her around.

“Yay! I knew you wouldn’t run away again, Daddy!”

“Of course not!” he said, kissing her cheek. “I promised, didn’t I?”

She snuggled under his chin and he held a hand out to Gracia. “Let’s get some breakfast, shall we?” Gracia grabbed their coats and they took the stairs down to the lobby. They walked in the sunshine, ready to go to the bakery and fill their bellies.

* * *

Her watch read two o’clock, and Madame closed her eyes. “Roy, we better meet again above ground,” she muttered to herself. The room was buzzing with unseen tension and she wondered what would happen in about fifteen minutes.

She wanted to have more to drink, but if she did, she knew she’d be too drunk to act if something happened. They’d decided to watch out the window, but at the first sign of an earthquake, they were to turn the sofas upside down over their heads. Anything else, they’d just have to get away from the glass and hope there wasn’t some kind of enormous explosion that blew them all to smithereens.

The girls were doing a good job of keeping Elysia distracted, playing dress up and tea party under a blanket fort off in the furthest corner of the room, and she watched Maes quietly talking to his wife, explaining the situation. Gracia looked sick to her stomach, but otherwise seemed to not be in a panic about the situation. Chris made her a drink (sneaking a sip for herself) and took it to her.

“You look a little pale, honey. Drink that until you get your color back.”

Gracia thanked her, peering at the glass a moment before gulping two mouthfuls down. She grimaced, but her cheeks pinked immediately. Madame patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’re as prepared as we can be, and it’s possible nothing will even happen.”

Gracia nodded, but looked sadly into her drink. Maes patted her knee and he looked up at Chris.

“How much longer?”

“About ten minutes or so. Time to lock and load.”

He stood up and started passing out flashlights and canteens while Madame made sure the girls had their thigh holsters strapped on and their guns loaded.

“Remember, stay together. If this building falls down, that’s how we’ll get found.” She turned to Gracia. “I think you should stay with your daughter.”

Maes wrapped his arms around his wife as tears welled up in her eyes. He murmured into her hair, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here.”

“What if-”

“No what ifs. We don’t know what’s going to happen. More than likely, we’ll be fine because we’re not inside that transmutation circle. We just need to be careful, and you can do that better with Elysia.” He kissed her temple. “I’m just being the look out. I’ll be ten feet away from you, I promise.”

Gracia whispered her acknowledgement and wiped her eyes. Ruthie came and gently guided her over to where Elysia was playing with Madeline and Jessa, and crowed in her urban accent how they should give her a makeover so she could be as pretty as a princess, too. Chris saw that she managed to smile before crawling under the blanket with the others and she knew that Mrs. Hughes would at least make it through the last few minutes before the eclipse began without a problem.

She lit a cigarette and went to the window between Maes and Vanessa. “See anything yet?”

“No,” Vanessa replied. “Just an ordinary afternoon. The birds are still chirping, so that’s a good sign.” She picked up Chris’ wrist and looked at her watch. “Three minutes.”

They stood in silence, watching. Would they even see anything? Were they too far away or just close enough? The sky began to slowly darken, and Chris told herself to remember to breathe.

She knew they wouldn’t see a complete eclipse; they were just outside the zone of totality. Maybe that would be enough to keep them safe. But there would still be more than half of the sun blocked out. She saw the sparkle of sweat beading at Maes’ temple and felt prickly heat along her own spine. Hopefully, nothing would come of the hair standing on the back of Vanessa’s neck…

And just when she was sure nothing would happen, the three of them gasped as a huge pillar of red lightning shot up from ground in the distance. The birds on the fountain below scattered in a frenzy and people on the street below began to scream.

“Look, there’s another one!” Maes pointed toward the southeast, much further away but just as bright as the first one. The clouds began to glow a dull red, just as a tremor made the chandelier tinkle and sway. Luckily, the ground only shook a little bit and stopped almost as soon as it started. The clouds faded back to gray and it seemed whatever purpose the lightning had served was complete.

“The fuck was that!?” Vanessa cried.

But they couldn’t even speculate about it, because the loudest sound in the world boomed through the air. It echoed through the hills and vibrated in Chris’ skull. She covered her ears with her bejeweled hands and peered up at the sky.

“Holy shit,” she breathed, the sound of her own voice lost in the din surrounding them all.

A black shadow, the biggest thing she’d ever seen, had risen from where the red lightning had come from. It was so enormous, she couldn’t make out where it began and ended. It bellowed as if in pain, its voice thundering across the land. And then she noticed the sun.

It didn’t look like a sun anymore. It looked like a giant eye, and there was what looked like a glass gate opened on either side of it. Black tendrils reached down from the edges of the eye as the giant shadow from Amestris reached up. It spoke in a voice that rattled the fillings in her teeth and shook her insides, but she couldn’t understand what it was saying because it was so loud.

It looked as if the two beings joined together and then disappeared in a flash of red light. When she looked again, the shadow giant and the strange eye over the sun were gone and a bright bubble of bright white light was in its place.

Maes cried out, “Get back!” His arms snatched her up and threw them both to the floor away from the glass. The intense light raced toward them from the border, so bright that even closing her eyes and being turned away from it didn’t do much to keep from nearly blinding her. As quickly as it had arrived, it was gone, and the floor shook beneath them a second time.

Her ears were ringing in the quiet aftermath. She became aware of Elysia crying and Maes scrambled to his family. Vanessa crawled over the patterned carpet to Chris.

“Is everybody okay?” Maes shouted, holding his daughter tightly.

Jessa’s ears were bleeding, but apart from that, everyone seemed physically fine. From below, people were shouting in Aerugoan to their friends and neighbors, checking on everyone the same as they were. Chris took a moment to sit up and catch her breath, and Vanessa collapsed on her shoulder, crying.

“Come on, honey,” she said, wrapping her arm around her back. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”

That didn’t seem to mean anything to her, and Chris understood completely why she was sobbing. If what they’d experienced had been that intense, and they were hundreds of miles from Central, what did Roy experience? Chris chewed the tip of her tongue to keep from crying herself.

She managed to gently break away from Vanessa and get to her feet. The sky was still dark and the streetlamps were glowing as if it were midnight. It had been longer than five minutes according to her watch, and the sun should have started reappearing by now, but the near perfect halo of the eclipse remained, and that scared her.

“Madame, we need a status report,” Maes said breathlessly as he sat in the floor holding his family close.

She took a deep breath. “Well, it looks like whatever happened summoned a shadow giant, some kind of person bigger than anything I’ve ever seen. It called out to the sun and an eyeball appeared… It pulled it out of the sky and then that light came.” She pointed out the window. “That eclipse shoulda been over by now, but it’s still there.”

“What!?” Madeline shrieked. “The sun isn’t back yet?”

Chris lit a cigarette. “See for yourselves!”

Everyone scrambled to a window. They gazed with open mouths at the dark sky, wondering what could have caused the eclipse to last so long. She sat down on the sofa and an icicle of doubt formed in the middle of her chest. She had a gut feeling something had happened to Roy, but there was no way she could be sure. She abruptly stood and switched the radio on.

“Madeline, translate,” she demanded as she turned the volume up.

A news man spoke quickly and nervously. Madeline listened intently, then began to repeat in Amestrian what he said.

“A celestial event… reports of broken windows from what seemed to be an explosion… No one can explain why the sun remains in eclipse. Some areas do not have power. Mild earthquakes have ruptured some gas and water mains.”

Chris immediately stubbed out her cigarette. “Anything about Amestris?” she asked.

They listened as the radio host jabbered in his panicked voice, the words foreign and twisted. Madeline listened quietly for a long time. After a time, she frowned and switched the radio off. “The explosion appeared to have come from Amestris, but all attempts to contact them have been fruitless.”

Elysia sniffled near her father’s neck and Gracia held them both as the rest of the girls looked down at the floor. Sighing, she went to the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth and wet it in the bathroom spigot. “Come here, Jessa,” Chris grumbled. “Let me at least clean your ears up, sweetie.”

As she wiped and washed Jessa’s ears, Vanessa called out, “Madame, there’s red light again!”

She scurried to the window and looked out across the landscape. The red lights seemed to be curving back toward the center of Amestris, and seemed less intense than the first crimson glow they witnessed. Then, faintly, they could make out a twisting red storm, tall and intense. With a roar, it exploded out over Amestris like a gargantuan, bloody rainfall, and Chris whimpered.

A single purple spot shot up into the sky like a comet, all the way to the sun, and at last, the shadow of the moon slowly moved out of the way to allow sunlight again. Blue lightning erupted from the ground near the Amestrian border in the distance, but instead of feeling the despair she experienced with the first pillars or energy, Chris found relief in the blue streaks reaching toward the clouds. Somehow, she knew everything was going to be alright.

The blue glow faded, the sun continued to emerge, and Chris couldn’t hold her tears back any longer. “I think we’re gonna be alright. I think Roy’s gonna be alright.”

A few moments later, she heard the birds begin to sing again, and she laughed just before she passed out.

* * *

While Vanessa and Gracia tended to Chris, Maes turned the radio back on and took a pad of paper to write out what Madeline translated from the news reports. After about an hour, they had a better idea about what was going on.

They were now calling it an ‘electrical event’, and it had apparently knocked everyone in Amestris unconscious, though most people noted they were only knocked out for a few minutes. Citizens were reporting that it was as if the wind had been sucked right out of their lungs. The Führer and his adopted son had been killed. Several generals had staged a coup de tat that had been thwarted by General Armstrong, Colonel Mustang, and General Grumman. Apart from some structural damage and military casualties within the city, everyone seemed to be accounted for.

Maes kept trying to get in touch with Veteran’s Hospital in Central, to get information about Roy and Riza, the Elric boys, anyone. The phone lines were so jammed that no one was getting through according to the news stations, but he kept trying anyway.

When Madame came around, he was glad to let her know that Roy was not among the dead. She gave a chuckle and sat up, reaching for her cigarettes.

“I knew he could do it.”

Maes grinned. “If it weren’t for you getting everyone to a central location, we would’ve been right in the middle of that mess. _We_ owe _you_ our thanks.”

She waved his appreciation away. “You owe me a drink. And maybe dinner.”

He laughed and asked the question that had been on all their minds:

“So, when do we get to go home?”

* * *

They talked about it the next day over breakfast in the square, deciding whether or not to it would be in Maes’ best interests to return to his old life or to start a new one as one of Madame Christmas’ operatives.

“Or you could retire completely. I know you were fond of the LeReaux family. I’m sure they’d give you enough land to build a house, in exchange for helping them with the farm. And Elysia would have plenty of playmates and fresh country air to grow up in.” Chris told him if he stayed in her employ, he would more than likely do what Eileen and Paulie had done for him, providing a safehouse for someone who needed it.

“That house is just about at capacity with all their kids,” Maes said with a grin.

“I’ll pay you good money anytime I need your services. And since you know what it is Eileen does for me and half of our telephone and telegraph codes, it might be an easy transition. The bonus is there’s no uniform, no rules, and you still get to carry your pistol and knives.” She sipped at some coffee and draped an arm over the back of her chair, looking very cool and collected as compared to the day before.

“Whaddya say Maes? Do you want to go back to Central and try to explain to everyone what happened? Go back to the army and shove paperwork around and investigate this one and that one? Or stay gone, become Pierre-Michel and grow your family in Creta?”

Maes thought about it for a moment. He recalled the LeReaux farmstead and how much they’d helped him, how beautiful Creta was, and how well he’d fit in to the community (apart from the Horace Schwartz thing). There were a lot of things he missed about Central, but there was also a whole new world outside of Amestris that he hadn’t yet seen. And if he wasn’t in the army, he’d be free to go see it.

But it wouldn’t be just him making the move. He wanted to be sure it was something Gracia wanted to do as well. He leaned forward on his elbows.

“Madame, I need to talk this over with my wife before I can give you a final answer.”

She nodded, as if she expected such an answer. “I understand. I need you to tell me your decision by the end of the week so I can get train tickets and everything in order. Whatever you decide to do, we’re leaving here on April first.”

He hesitated a moment, then spoke candidly with her. “You know, I really miss Roy. I really want to see him again- will I ever be able to return to Central?”

Chris flipped her ashes and nodded. “Not for a little while, I’d say. But eventually. I know you two were together for a little while at the academy.”

Maes sighed. “That was a long time ago. And I still love him- just not in the same way. It was an amicable split, and if Riza would just retire, those two would be married in a matter of minutes, I believe.”

“You’re tellin’ me!” she agreed. “All this sneakin’ around they do just to get some time together- that’s the real crime, here!”

He rose, finishing his coffee. “I’ll go talk to Gracia right away and give you our answer as soon as possible.”

She told him to take his time and really give it some thought, then waived a waiter down to ask for more pasticciotti and coffee. As he strode toward the Silver Vines Hotel, he paused to look toward Amestris. Just hours before, they wondered if they’d even survive what was happening. Now they were talking about going back.

 _‘What if it happens again?’_ he thought to himself. _‘Do I want to spend the time I have left filling out reports, working long nights, not watching my daughter grow up? Can I do that, after all this?’_

A gentle breeze blew his bangs from his eyes and he turned back to the hotel. This wasn’t something he could decide on his own. He needed Gracia’s advice and guidance. Vaccio’s cheery square perked his spirits up, and went right away to decide the rest of his life with his better half.


	9. Chapter 9

Roy looked at the address on the piece of paper his aunt had given him. He couldn’t figure out why she’d sent him and Riza out to the Yellow Mount area on the other side of Table City, apart from assuming it had something to do with Eileen. Fortunately, they were able to get a ride from the train station and didn’t have to walk far except up the long driveway.

Riza took a deep breath as a light breeze ruffled her printed dress, Hayate sniffing the fence posts as they made their way to the house. “Well, it’s still nice to get out of the city for a few days.”

“I just don’t understand, I thought Eileen had a dozen children, this house couldn’t possibly hold that many kids.” He squinted at the home. It was under a shade tree, a swing dangling from one of the big branches. There was a nice covered porch, rocking chairs, and what looked to be a large chicken coop in a side lot. He sighed. “It just seems a little weird.”

“Don’t worry so much,” his adjutant quietly reminded him, patting his shoulder. “I know your aunt wouldn’t send you into danger. This is a vacation before we begin our work in Ishval- who knows when we’ll get another opportunity like this. Let’s just enjoy it for what it is.”

They walked up the steps and the door opened.

“Man, if you’re not a sight for sore eyes!”

They both looked up into a face they thought was long gone, to a smile that they thought would never be seen in the world again. Roy’s mouth dropped open and his heart began to race. Had Gracia been right all along?

When Mrs. Hughes peered over his shoulder with a grin, Roy knew it had to be the real deal. He dropped the suitcases and practically leaped over the last two steps. He slammed into Maes, sending him backwards a few steps as he grabbed him in a bear hug.

“Where the hell have you been!?” he cried, overwhelmed with gratitude that Gracia had been right and that she’d found him.

“To hell and back, it’s a really long story,” Maes replied, squeezing Roy and sniffling. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” He pulled away, took off his glasses and wiped at his eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t let you know I was alive sooner.”

Roy watched him embrace Riza just as warmly, and he turned to Gracia. He was stunned again. “That wasn’t there the last time I saw you!”

She smoothed her shirt down to reveal a small baby belly. “Well, we sort of celebrated once we were reunited.”

Roy wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “I’m so happy for you,” he murmured as he hugged her.

“I’m so thankful it was possible! And that you didn’t think I was crazy!” She winked at Riza. “One day we’ll be congratulating you, if you ever retire!”

Roy liked how Riza closed her eyes and agreed. He said, “I gotta get to the Führer’s seat first. Then, we’ll be in business.”

Maes put his arm around both of them and led them into the house. “My neighbors are keeping Elysia for the night. I didn’t want her to overhear us talking about what happened.”

“Dinner’s almost ready, so we can catch up over good food!” Gracia announced as she hurried back to the kitchen. “Go ahead and grab a seat at the table!”

Riza removed Hayate’s leash once they were inside, and Roy watched him sniff around the parlor. Riza warned him not to potty in the house, and just as her pup peeked into the fireplace, a white dog about the same size appeared, eyes focused and tail still. Hayate froze, let the dog sniff him from stem to stern, and he stepped back when the other dog dropped to its elbows, tail wagging and ready to play.

“That’s Frostie,” Maes said with a grin. “Elysia said she wanted a dog like Auntie Riza’s, so we got her from another farmer who said she wasn’t very good at hunting.” The two dogs chased each other playfully through the house and Maes assured Riza that she needn’t be appalled at his behavior.

“He’s just having some fun, lighten up a little. You can have a little fun later, too,” he said, waggling his eyebrows obnoxiously.

Roy closed his eyes and shook his head. “This is surreal. I’m standing in a house with a man I thought was dead, and he’s telling the love of my life that she should lighten up a little and let our dog have some fun. I just can’t believe it!”

Maes put his arm around Roy’s neck, rubbed his knuckles across the top of his head, then kissed his cheek. “Better believe it! And for the record, I never was dead,” he said matter-of-factly, raising his index finger to make his point. “ _Almost_ died! Now I’m just sort of in the Amestrian Witness Protection Program!”

They all shared a laugh and made their way to the dining room, ready to break bread together for the first time in what felt like ages, and Roy couldn’t have been happier.

* * *

* * *

Clouds drifted hurriedly across the sky, seemingly running from the cold wind that whipped around the barren trees and dead grass. The cemetery was empty apart from Roy and Maes, both carrying a bouquet of flowers- Maes carrying lilies, Roy carrying roses. They walked steadily through the tombstones until finally Roy slowed and stopped before a fresh looking one.

“Here she is,” Roy said, his voice swallowed up by the winter wind. “Good to see they got the date carved out.”

Maes frowned. “I’m sorry I missed the funeral, but I have a feeling she would have understood.”

Roy chuckled as he bent down and cleared the leaves away from her grave, laying the flowers down with the blooms on the left. Maes laid his down with the flowers on the right. “I think seeing your first son be born was definitely more important. She probably would have haunted you if you’d come up here to watch her body be buried when you had new life arriving at home.”

“You’re probably right,” Maes agreed with a grin. “Still though, she really took care of me. I wouldn’t be here without her and Knox’s help.” He turned to his long-time friend. “She said because I saved your life from Heathcliff in Ishval, she’d save mine and keep my girls safe, and she went above and beyond.” He kneeled and pressed his hand to the cold marble headstone. “I have her to thank for the life I have now. I will always be grateful for what she did for me and my family.”

“She knew. How grateful you were, I mean. She always said she’d never have a man work under her, but she made an exception for you. In her eyes, she had two sons.”

A crow called out from across the graveyard, then flew off when only the wind answered it. Maes closed his eyes and took a moment to recognize the full feeling in his heart. Even now, years after the fact, he realized the sacrifice she’d gone through, putting herself at risk for arrest and possibly being targeted for murder, and she’d done it anyway.

“Hey, wanna see where you’re buried?” Roy asked.

Maes knew Roy was subtly trying to lighten the mood. He stood and grinned at him. “Sure! Let’s see if the military gave me a proper burial!”

As they walked, he asked if anyone knew who was really buried in his spot, and Roy speculated it was one of a countless number of homeless drunks that hung out in the alleys around his aunt’s old bar. Roy told him not to worry about it, then pulled his coat up off his shoulders to form a hood and pointed to a marker.

“I am the Ghost of Midwinter Yet to Come! Go forth, and read the name upon that stone!” he growled eerily.

Maes smacked his arm and told him to cut it out. “Don’t be disrespectful, Roy.”

“It’s _your_ grave!”

Maes ignored him and looked at the grave marker. It was worn and needed a good scrubbing, though he whistled at the promotion he had forgotten he was given. No flowers were upon the slab that covered part of the plot, though a small Amestrian flag fluttered near the headstone. Maes plucked it out, wound it up and stuck it in his pocket.

“Hey, why are you taking that?” Roy cried.

“It’s mine! After all, it’s _my_ grave!”

He brushed the dirt and leaves away, then patted the slab, telling the stranger underneath that he wasn’t mad at all that someone else was sleeping in his spot. Maes rose and turned away.

“Alright, let’s get out of here, Ghostie. It’s cold and I’m ready to settle in for the night.”

He blew a kiss to Chris’ grave and they exited the iron gates together, and the Führer’s security detail got back in their car. Roy shoved his hands in his pockets and asked, “Do you ever miss Central?”

Maes thought about it a moment. “I miss a lot of the people, some particular places, but for the most part I’m really happy to be in Creta. Yellow Mount is a great place and there’s a lot of great people there, too. I wish I were closer to you and Riza, of course.”

Roy’s driver opened the door for them and they quickly climbed into the back of the car to soak up the warmth inside. “I’ve been thinking…”

“I thought I smelled something burning!”

Roy continued, “When the judiciary department signs the documents to convert Amestris back to a democracy, I’m going to retire. Well, after they elect a new leader to take over. And when I do, Riza and I are going to need a place to go.”

Maes’ eyes widened. “Are you gonna be my neighbor?”

Roy’s smile warmed his heart. “I’d like to, if that’s okay.”

Maes grabbed Roy by the shoulders and hugged him tightly. “Of course, it’s okay! Elysia will be over the moon, and Clarissa and your little boy are close enough in age, they can play together! My gosh, the holidays and the festivals are going to be so much more awesome! And the dogs!” Maes squeezed him again. “Yes! Yes! Please come! We’ll clear the land and get a house going right away!”

Roy patted Maes’ arm. “You are the best friend anyone could ever have. Thank you.”

As the Führer’s car made its way back to the mansion, Maes and Roy talked about houses and country living, about children and wives, about dreams they never expected to come true.

Roy chuckled. “I never imagined I’d be sitting in the back of the Führer’s limo, talking about blessings.”

Maes knew all about blessings. He had an innumerable amount of them and couldn’t be more grateful or happy for them. “Yeah, Roy. Blessings are everywhere, you just have to open your eyes to them.”

Roy grinned. “Let’s see if Riza’s got an opinion on what kind of house she’d like to have built.”

Maes couldn’t wait to start the conversation.

* * *

 

 

THE END

 

Thank you to everyone who worked on this fic with me, and thank you to all the readers out there ♥


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